“Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,
Parallel translations
- WEB “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses,
- KJV Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
- NKJV “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,
- NASB “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,
- NLT “Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God tells Joshua to appoint the cities of refuge that He had earlier commanded through Moses. The long-promised provision is now to be put in place.
Overview
The instruction fulfills the law given in Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19, showing the continuity of God's word from Moses to Joshua. These cities provided a sanctuary where one who killed accidentally could be safe from vengeance until a fair trial. The arrangement upholds both the value of human life and the need for justice, and points to Christ as the true refuge for sinners who flee to Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Deut 19:2–13then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
- Num 35:11–24designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there.
- Deut 4:41–43Then Moses set aside three cities across the Jordan to the east
- Num 35:6Six of the cities you give the Levites are to be appointed as cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. In addition to these, give the Levites forty-two other cities.
- Rom 8:1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Exod 21:13–14If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
- Rom 8:33–34Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
- Heb 6:18–19Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 20:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.