Joshua 20 details God's instructions to Joshua regarding the establishment of cities of refuge for the Israelites. These cities served as safe havens for individuals who unintentionally killed another...
9
Verses
~1 min
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Joshua
Author
c. 1400 BC - Israel's Conquest and Settlement of Canaan
Timeline
Timeline
c. 1400 BC - Israel's Conquest and Settlement of Canaan
Joshua 20 details God's instructions to Joshua regarding the establishment of cities of refuge for the Israelites. These cities served as safe havens for individuals who unintentionally killed another person, protecting them from the avenger of blood until a fair trial could be conducted. This chapter emphasizes God's justice and mercy, balancing protection for the innocent with the need for accountability. It also highlights the continuity of God's law from Moses to Joshua, reinforcing the covenant community's commitment to righteousness and order. The chapter concludes with the designation of six specific cities, strategically located on both sides of the Jordan River, underscoring God's provision for justice throughout the entire land of Israel.
Verses 1-6: Divine Instructions for Cities of Refuge. God commands Joshua to designate cities of refuge where unintentional killers can flee for protection. The process for seeking refuge and the conditions for remaining in the city until trial and the death of the high priest are outlined.
Verses 7-8: Appointment of Specific Cities. The chapter lists the six cities chosen as refuges, three on each side of the Jordan River, ensuring accessibility for all tribes.
Verse 9: Purpose and Inclusivity of the Cities. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that these cities serve all Israelites and sojourners, providing protection until justice is served before the congregation.
God speaks directly to Joshua, giving specific commands about the cities of refuge. His role is authoritative and guiding, ensuring justice and mercy are upheld in Israel.
As the leader of Israel, Joshua receives God's instructions and is responsible for appointing the cities of refuge. His obedience ensures the continuation of Mosaic law and God's covenant.
A family member or relative who seeks to avenge the death of a kinsman. This figure represents the ancient practice of blood vengeance, which God regulates through the cities of refuge.
Individuals who have caused death without intent or malice. They are granted protection and a fair trial, illustrating God's mercy within the justice system.
God instructs Joshua to designate cities of refuge as previously commanded through Moses, establishing the foundation for their purpose.
Details the protection offered to unintentional killers, the procedure for seeking refuge, and the conditions for remaining until trial and the high priest’s death.
Lists the six cities appointed on both sides of the Jordan, ensuring equitable access for all tribes.
Emphasizes that the cities serve all Israelites and sojourners, providing protection until justice is administered before the congregation.
“That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.”
“And 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.”
“And 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.”
“These 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.”
How well do you know Joshua 20?
Take the QuizTrust in God as your ultimate refuge in times of trouble, knowing He provides protection and justice.
Practice mercy and fairness in judging others, recognizing the importance of intent and grace.
Seek God’s guidance in resolving conflicts peacefully, avoiding cycles of vengeance.
Remember the priestly mediation of Christ who secures our ultimate forgiveness and restoration.
Live responsibly, understanding the sanctity of life and the consequences of our actions.
Extend God’s protection and justice to all, including strangers and those in need.
The chapter balances God's demand for justice with His provision of mercy for unintentional killers. This theme reflects the broader biblical narrative of God as both righteous judge and compassionate redeemer.
By establishing cities of refuge, the chapter underscores the value of human life and the seriousness of taking it, even unintentionally. It affirms God's concern for protecting life within the community.
The cities of refuge demonstrate God's desire for order and peace within His covenant people, preventing cycles of blood vengeance and promoting communal harmony.
The death of the high priest as a condition for the slayer’s release points to the priestly role in atonement and restoration, prefiguring Christ’s ultimate mediation.
Joshua 20 is set during the early period of Israel’s settlement in the Promised Land, around the late Bronze Age (circa 1400-1370 BC). The tribal confederation of Israel was establishing its legal and social structures under Joshua’s leadership following the conquest of Canaan. The cities of refuge were strategically located across the tribal territories to ensure accessibility. The cultural context included ancient Near Eastern practices of blood vengeance, where family members avenged wrongful deaths, often leading to cycles of violence. God’s provision of cities of refuge was a divine intervention to regulate justice and prevent such cycles, reflecting His covenantal law given through Moses.
Reformed theology sees the cities of refuge as a typology of Christ, who provides ultimate refuge and atonement for sinners. The protection offered to the unintentional killer prefigures salvation by grace through faith, not by works.
Dispensationalists emphasize the literal fulfillment of God's law in Israel’s national life, viewing the cities of refuge as part of the Mosaic covenant’s civil ordinances. They see these laws as distinct from the church age but valuable for understanding God’s justice.
Early Church Fathers often interpreted the cities of refuge allegorically, seeing them as symbols of the Church or Christ’s protection for sinners. They highlighted the necessity of repentance and the priestly role in forgiveness.
This passage gives the original command for cities of refuge, which Joshua 20 implements, showing continuity in God’s law.
Deuteronomy outlines the legal framework for cities of refuge, emphasizing fair trial and protection, themes reiterated in Joshua 20.
This verse speaks of God’s unchangeable promise and refuge, echoing the protective role of the cities of refuge as a type of spiritual security.
God is described as a refuge and strength, paralleling the physical cities of refuge as places of safety.
This passage distinguishes between intentional and unintentional killing, foundational for the cities of refuge laws.
Joshua 20 powerfully reveals God's justice intertwined with mercy through the institution of cities of refuge. These cities provided a divinely ordained system to protect the innocent and maintain social order, reflecting God's holiness and compassion. The chapter not only preserves the Mosaic law but also points forward to Christ, our ultimate refuge and mediator. For believers today, it calls us to trust in God's protection, pursue justice tempered with mercy, and recognize the sacredness of life within the community of faith.
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