JOS 20

Joshua 20:8

WEB

Beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.

BSB

And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

KJV

And 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.

Matthew Henry

Verses 7–9

Joshua 20:7–9

We have here the nomination of the cities of refuge in the land of Canaan, which was made by the advice and authority of Joshua and the princes (Jos 19:7); and upon occasion of the mention of this is repeated the nomination of the other three in the lot of the other two tribes and a half, which was made by Moses (Deu 4:43), but (as bishop Patrick thinks) they had not the privilege till now. 1. They are said to sanctify these cities, that is the original word for appointed, Jos 19:7. Not that any ceremony was used to signify the consecration of them, only they did by a public act of court solemnly declare them cities of refuge, and as such sacred to the honour of God, as the protector of exposed innocency. If they were sanctuaries, it was proper to say they were sanctified. Christ, our refuge, was sanctified by his Father; nay, for our sakes he sanctified himself, Joh 17:19. 2. These cities (as those also on the other side Jordan) stood in the three several parts of the country, so conveniently that a man might (they say) in half a day reach some one of them from any corner of the country. Kedesh was in Naphtali, the most northern tribe, Hebron in Judah, the most southern, and Shechem in Ephraim, which lay in the middle, about equally distant from the other two. God is a refuge at hand. 3. They were all Levites' cities, which put an honour upon God's tribe, making them judges in those cases wherein divine Providence was so nearly concerned, and protectors to oppressed innocency. It was also a kindness to the poor refugee, that when he might not go up to the house of the Lord, nor tread his courts, yet he had the servants of God's house with him, to instruct him, and pray for him, and help to make up the want of public ordinances. If he must be confined, it shall be to a Levite-city, where he may, if he will, improve his time. 4. These cities were upon hills to be seen afar off, for a city on a hill cannot be hid; and this would both direct and encourage the poor distressed man that was making that way; and, though therefore his way at last was up-hill, yet this would comfort him, that he would be in his place of safety quickly, and if he could but get into the suburbs of the city he was well enough off. 5. Some observe a significancy in the names of these cities with application to Christ our refuge. I delight not in quibbling upon names, yet am willing to take notice of these. Kedesh signifies holy, and our refuge is the holy Jesus. Shechem, a shoulder, and the government is upon his shoulder. Hebron, fellowship, and believers are called into the fellowship of Christ Jesus our Lord. Bezer, a fortification, for he is a strong-hold to all those that trust in him. Ramoth, high or exalted, for him hath God exalted with his own right hand. Golan, joy or exultation, for in him all the saints are justified, and shall glory. Lastly, Besides all these, the horns of the altar, wherever it was, were a refuge to those who took hold of them, if the crime were such as that sanctuary allowed. This is implied in that law (Exo 21:14), that a wilful murderer shall be taken from God's altar to be put to death. And we find the altar used for this purpose. Kg1 1:50; Kg1 2:28. Christ is our altar, who not only sanctifies the gift, but protects the giver.

Cross-references: Josh 19:7 · Deut 4:43 · John 17:19 · Exod 21:14 · 1Kgs 1:50 · 1Kgs 2:28

Hebrew interlinear

H5676

עֵבֶרʻêber/ay'-ber/

n-m — across, opposite, east

Derivation: from 5674;

properly, a region across; but used only adverbially (with or without a preposition) on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; ususally meaning the east)

KJV: × against, beyond, by, × from, over, passage, quarter, (other, this) side, straight.

עֵ֫בֶר

n.m — region across

עֵ֫בֶר 91 n.m. region across or beyond, side

1. region across or beyond anything

2. (Opposite) side, side

H3383

יַרְדֵּןYardên/yar-dane'/

n-pr — Jarden

Derivation: from 3381; a descender;

Jarden, the principal river of Palestine

KJV: Jordan.

יַרְדֵן

n.pr.fl — Jordan

יַרְדֵן 182 n.pr.fl. Jordan

H3405

יְרִיחוֹYᵉrîychôw/yer-ee-kho'/

n-pr-loc — Jericho, Jerecho

Derivation: or יְרֵחוֹ; or variation (1 Kings 16:34) יְרִיחֹה; perhaps from 3394; its month; or else from 7306; fragrant;

Jericho or Jerecho, a place in Palestine

KJV: Jericho.

יְרִיחוֹ

n.pr.loc — Jericho

יְרִיחוֹ, יְרִיחֹה, יְרֵחוֹ 57 n.pr.loc. Jericho

H4217

מִזְרָחmizrâch/miz-rawkh'/

n-m — sunrise, east

Derivation: from 2224;

sunrise, i.e. the east

KJV: east (side, -ward), (sun-) rising (of the sun).

מִזְרָח

n.[m.] — place of sunrise

מִזְרָח n.[m.] place of sunrise, east

H5414

נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/

v — give, put, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.

נָתַן

vb — give

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

1. give

2. Put, set

3. Make, constitute

Niph. 82

1. be given

2. Be put, set

Hoph.

1.

a. be given, bestowed

b. = be given to one for wife

2. be put upon

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H1221

בֶּצֶרBetser/beh'-tser/

n-pr-m n-pr-loc — Betser

Derivation: the same as 1220, an inaccessible spot;

Betser, a place in Palestine; also an Israelite

KJV: Bezer.

בֶּ֫צֶר

n. pr. loc — Bezer

בֶּ֫צֶר (fortress)

1. n. pr. loc. city in Reuben

2. n. pr. m. a descendant of Asher

H4057

מִדְבָּרmidbâr/mid-bawr'/

n-m — pasture, desert, speech

Derivation: from 1696 in the sense of driving;

a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)

KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness.

מִדְבָּר

n.m — mouth

[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3

מִדְבָר

n.m — wilderness

מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness

1. tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds

2. uninhabited land

3. large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities

4. fig.

H4334

מִישׁוֹרmîyshôwr/mee-shore'/

n-m — level, plain, concord, straightness, justice, justly

Derivation: or מִישֹׁר; from 3474;

a level, i.e. a plain (often used (with the article prefix) as a proper name of certain districts); figuratively, concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) justice (sometimes adverbially, justly)

KJV: equity, even place, plain, right(-eously), (made) straight, uprightness.

מִישׁוֹר

n.m — level place

מִישׁוֹר n.m. level place, uprightness

H4294

מַטֶּהmaṭṭeh/mat-teh'/

n-m — branch, extending, tribe, rod, correction, sceptre, lance, staff, support

Derivation: or (feminine) מַטָּה; from 5186;

a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread)

KJV: rod, staff, tribe.

מַטֶּה

n.m — branch

מַטֶּה 251 n.m.

1. staff, rod, shaft

2. branch

3. tribe

H7205

רְאוּבֵןRᵉʼûwbên/reh-oo-bane'/

n-pr-m — Reuben

Derivation: from the imperative of 7200 and 1121; see ye a son;

Reuben, a son of Jacob

KJV: Reuben.

רְאוּבֵן

n.pr.m — Reuben

רְאוּבֵן 71 n.pr.m. Reuben

1. eldest son of Jacob and Leah

2. as name of clan or tribe

H7216

רָאמוֹתRâʼmôwth/raw-moth'/

n-pr-loc — Ramoth

Derivation: or רָאמֹת; plural of 7215; heights;

Ramoth, the name of two places in Palestine

KJV: Ramoth.

רָ(א)מוֹת

n.pr — Ramoth

רָ(א)מוֹת 26 n.pr.

1. loc. Heights, Ramôth;

a. in Gilead

b. 1 S 30:27

c. Levit. city in Issachar

2. m. Ezr 10:29 Qr

H1568

גִּלְעָדGilʻâd/ghil-awd'/

n-pr-loc n-pr-m — Gilad

Derivation: probably from 1567;

Gilad, a region East of the Jordan; also the name of three Israelites

KJV: Gilead, Gileadite.

גִּלְעָד

n.pr.loc — Gilead

גִּלְעָד n.pr.loc. of mountain-range or hill-country, land & city, E. of Jordan

1. territory S. of Jabboḳ

2. Northern Gilead

3. more generally, of all Gilead

4. name of a city

5. of Israelites living E. of Jordan (as a whole)

6. treated as n.pr.m.

H1410

גָּדGâd/gawd/

n-pr-m — Gad

Derivation: from 1464;

Gad, a son of Jacob, including his tribe and its territory; also a prophet

KJV: Gad.

גָּד

n.pr.m — Gad

גָּד 71 n.pr.m. (fortunatus?)

1. son of Jacob and Zilpah

2. a prophet in David's time

H1474

גּוֹלָןGôwlân/go-lawn'/

n-pr-loc — Golan

Derivation: from 1473; captive;

Golan, a place east of the Jordan

KJV: Golan.

גּוֹלָן

n.pr.loc — Golan

גּוֹלָן n.pr.loc. city of Manasseh in Bashan, named as a city of refuge

H1316

בָּשָׁןBâshân/baw-shawn'/

n-pr-loc — Bashan

Derivation: of uncertain derivation;

Bashan (often with the article), a region East of the Jordan

KJV: Bashan.

בָּשָׁן

n.pr.terr.m — Bashan

בָּשָׁן 60 n.pr.terr.m. (smooth (& fertile) land) Bashan, first mentioned as kingdom of Og, E. of Jordan, stretching from stream Jabboḳ (thus including northern Gilead) northward to Hermon, between Gennesaret (W) and mts of Hauran (E)

H4519

מְנַשֶּׁהMᵉnashsheh/men-ash-sheh'/

n-pr-m — Menashsheh

Derivation: from 5382; causing to forget;

Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory

KJV: Manasseh.

מְנַשֶּׁה

n.pr.m — Manasseh

מְנַשֶּׁה 136 n.pr.m. et trib. Manasseh

1.

a. Manasseh, eldest son of Joseph

b. of tribe

2. son of Hezekiah

3. two who had taken strange wives

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