20 The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying,

Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:

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 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.

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.

And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

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.

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.

21 Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;

And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.

And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord, these cities and their suburbs.

And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name.

10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.

11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.

12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.

13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,

14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs,

15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,

16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,

18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.

19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,

22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four cities.

23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs,

24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities.

25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.

26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.

27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.

28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,

29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, Engannim with her suburbs; four cities.

30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs,

31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities.

32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.

33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

34 And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,

35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities.

36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs,

37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities.

38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,

39 Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all.

40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.

42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.

43 And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

44 And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.

45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

20 2 The Lord commandeth Joshua to appoint cities of refuge. 3 The use thereof, 7 and their names.

The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying,

Speak to the children of Israel, and say, (A)Appoint you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses,

That the slayer that killeth any person [a]by ignorance, and unwittingly, may flee thither, and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

And he that doth flee unto one of those cities, shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall show his cause [b]to the Elders of the city: and they shall receive him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell with them.

And if the [c]avenger of blood pursue after him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he smote his neighbor ignorantly, neither hated he him beforetime:

But he shall dwell in that city until he stand before the Congregation in [d]judgment, (B)or 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, even unto the city from whence he fled.

¶ Then they appointed Kedesh in [e]Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba, (which is Hebron) in the mountain of Judah.

And on the other side Jordan toward Jericho Eastward, they appointed (C)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 [f]tribe of Manasseh.

These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourned among them, that whosoever killed any person ignorantly, might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the [g]Congregation.

21 3 The cities given to the Levites, 41 in number eight and forty. 44 The Lord according to his promise gave the children of Israel rest.

Then came the [h]principal fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the Priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel,

And spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, (D)The Lord commanded [i]by the hand of Moses, to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.

So the children of Israel gave unto the Levites, out of their inheritance at the commandment of the Lord these cities with their suburbs.

And the lot came out for the families of the [j]Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the Priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot, out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin [k]thirteen cities.

And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

Also the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

The children of Merari according to their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

So the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

¶ And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here named.

10 And they were the children of [l]Aaron being of the families of the Kohathites, and of the sons of Levi, (for theirs was the first lot.)

11 So they gave them Kirjath-arba of the father of Anak (which is Hebron) in the mountain of Judah, with the suburbs of the same round about it.

12 (But the land of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to (E)Caleb the son of Jephunneh to be his possession.)

13 ¶ Thus they gave to the [m]children of Aaron the Priest, a city of refuge for the slayer, even Hebron with her suburbs, and Libnah with her suburbs,

14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa, and her suburbs,

15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,

16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, Beth Shemesh with her suburbs: nine cities out of those two tribes.

17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin they gave Gibeon with her [n]suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,

18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs: four cities.

19 All the cities of the children of Aaron Priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

20 ¶ But to the families of the children of Kohath of the Levites, [o]which were the rest of the children of Kohath (for the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim.)

21 They gave them the city of refuge for the slayer, [p]Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, and Gezer with her suburbs,

22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth Horon with her suburbs: four cities.

23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs,

24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath Rimmon with her suburbs: four cities.

25 And out of the [q]half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with her suburbs: two cities.

26 All the cities for the other families of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbs.

27 ¶ Also unto the children of Gershon of the families of the Levites, they gave out of the half tribe of Manasseh, the city of refuge for the slayer, [r]Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Be Eshterah with her suburbs: two cities.

28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs,

29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, En Gannim with her suburbs: four cities.

30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs,

31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs: four cities.

32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, the city of refuge for the slayer, Kedesh in [s]Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammoth Dor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs: three cities.

33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

34 ¶ Also unto the families of the children of Merari the [t]rest of the Levites, they gave out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,

35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs: four cities.

36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, [u]Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahaz with her suburbs,

37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs: four cities.

38 And out of the tribe of Gad they gave for a city of refuge for the slayer, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,

39 Heshbon with her suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs: four cities in all.

40 So all the cities of the children of Merari according to their families (which were the rest of the families of the Levites) were by their lot, twelve cities.

41 And all the cities of the Levites [v]within the possession of the children of Israel, were eight and forty with their suburbs.

42 These cities lay every one severally with their suburbs round about them: so were all these cities.

43 ¶ So the Lord gave unto Israel all the land, which he had sworn to give unto their fathers: and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

44 Also the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he had sworn unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them: for the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.

45 (F)There failed nothing of all the good things, which the Lord had said unto the house of Israel, but all came to pass.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 20:3 At unawares, and bearing him no grudge.
  2. Joshua 20:4 Hebrew, in the ears of the Elders.
  3. Joshua 20:5 That is, the nearest kinsman of him that is slain.
  4. Joshua 20:6 Till his cause were proved.
  5. Joshua 20:7 Or, Galilee.
  6. Joshua 20:8 Out of the half tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan.
  7. Joshua 20:9 Before the Judges.
  8. Joshua 21:1 Or, the chief of the fathers.
  9. Joshua 21:2 By Moses, by whose ministry God showed his power.
  10. Joshua 21:4 He meaneth them that were Priests: for some were but Levites.
  11. Joshua 21:4 Every tribe gave more or fewer cities according as their inheritance was great or little, Num. 35:8.
  12. Joshua 21:10 For Aaron came of Kohath, and therefore the Priests’ office remained in that family.
  13. Joshua 21:13 That is, the Priest of the family of the Kohathites, of whom Aaron was chief.
  14. Joshua 21:17 The suburbs were a thousand cubits from the wall of the cities round about, Num. 35:4.
  15. Joshua 21:20 That were not Priests.
  16. Joshua 21:21 Hebron and Shechem were the two cities of refuge under the Kohathites.
  17. Joshua 21:25 Which dwelt in Canaan.
  18. Joshua 21:27 Golan and Kadesh were the cities of refuge under the Gershonites.
  19. Joshua 21:32 Or, Galilee.
  20. Joshua 21:34 They are here called the rest, because they are last numbered, and Merari was the younger brother, Gen. 46:11.
  21. Joshua 21:36 Bezer and Ramoth were the cities of refuge under the Merarites and beyond Jordan, Josh. 20:8.
  22. Joshua 21:41 Thus according to Jacob’s prophecy they were scattered throughout the country, which God used to this end, that his people might be instructed in the true religion by them.