Bible · Joshua

Joshua 20

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1The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying,2Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:3That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.4And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.6And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.7And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath–arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.8And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.9These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

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Notes for this chapter

Historical Background

Joshua Chapter 20 Study Notes

The appointment of cities of refuge stands as one of the most carefully considered legal and spiritual provisions in all of ancient Israel's history. By the time Joshua receives this instruction, the conquest of Canaan is sufficiently complete that the land can be organized for habitation. The command is not new, for Moses had first outlined the principle in Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19, but now the geography of the promised land is known well enough that specific cities can be named and designated. The broader ancient Near Eastern world knew forms of sanctuary, where temples or sacred sites offered temporary protection, but Israel's system was unique in being morally grounded, geographically distributed, and legally structured rather than simply ceremonial.

Core Teaching

The distinction at the heart of this chapter is the difference between murder and manslaughter, between a heart filled with hatred that strikes intentionally and an accident that results in death. Ancient Near Eastern culture, like many traditional societies, practiced blood vengeance through the nearest male relative of the deceased, called here the “avenger of blood.” This was not simply personal revenge but a recognized social duty. The danger, however, was that grief and tribal loyalty could overwhelm justice, and an innocent man who had accidentally caused a death might be killed before any inquiry was made.

The cities of refuge were Israel's answer to this problem. They did not abolish the avenger of blood, but they inserted a process of justice between the tragedy and any final outcome, protecting the innocent from impulsive retribution. Matthew Henry observed that these cities were a mercy both to the slayer, who found protection, and to the community, which was kept from the guilt of shedding innocent blood.

The procedure described in verses three through six is notable for its humanity and legal precision. The man who had accidentally caused a death was to stand at the gate of the city and declare his cause to the elders. This was not a private matter but a public hearing. The elders were obligated to receive him, give him shelter, and refuse to hand him over to the avenger until a proper judgment had been rendered before the congregation.

He was then required to remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest then in office. This last condition has puzzled commentators through the centuries, but the most consistent explanation is that the death of the high priest served as a kind of national atonement, releasing those under legal restriction and allowing a kind of social amnesty. Adam Clarke suggested that the death of the high priest, as the chief mediator between God and Israel, carried a representative weight that brought certain legal consequences to a close. Ellen White saw in these cities a reflection of divine compassion, noting in Patriarchs and Prophets that God would not allow a single soul to be destroyed without a fair hearing and proper protection.

Commentary Insights

The six cities chosen, three on each side of the Jordan, were intentionally distributed so that no person in Israel would be excessively far from a place of safety. On the western side stood Kedesh in the north, Shechem in the central highlands, and Hebron in the south of Judah. On the eastern side stood Bezer for Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for Gad, and Golan in Bashan for Manasseh. The geographic care is striking.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown noted that ancient rabbinical sources speak of roads being kept in good repair leading to these cities, and that signposts were erected at crossroads so that a fleeing man in fear and confusion could find his way. Every provision was made to ensure the system worked not merely in theory but in the desperate moments of real human tragedy.

Reflection & Application

Christian interpreters across many traditions have found in these cities a profound image of Christ Himself. He is the refuge to whom the sinner flees, pursued by the consequences of guilt and the demands of the broken law. Just as the manslayer who reached the city gate was safe from the avenger, so the soul that comes to Christ in genuine need finds a protection that no accusation can overcome. The writer of Hebrews draws on the very language of refuge when speaking of the hope set before believers, who flee for refuge to lay hold of the hope of the gospel.

The death of the great High Priest, rather than confining the refugee, accomplished the ultimate release. Where the high priest's death in Israel merely ended a period of restriction, the death of Jesus Christ as the eternal High Priest broke the power of guilt forever and opened the way for those who had fled to Him to return home not in diminished standing but in full and permanent restoration. This chapter, placed quietly among the administrative records of a nation settling its land, carries within it a picture of the whole gospel.

Go deeper — references Classic commentaries on this chapter

Matthew Henry's Commentary Matthew Henry (1662–1714) Adam Clarke's Commentary Adam Clarke (1760–1832) Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (1871) Barnes' Notes on the Bible Albert Barnes (1798–1870) EGW Writings Ellen G. White Blue Letter Bible Study tools and lexicon

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