Joshua 20:1-6

God's Instructions to Joshua 20:1-6

The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4 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.
5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
6 And he shall dwell in this 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.

1. How did God speak to ?Joshua 20:1

When Moses was told to select Joshua as a successor, he instructed him to set Joshua before Eleazar, the priest. God said Joshua would stand regularly before Eleazar, the priest, who would ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord (Numbers 27:21). The Urim and Thummim were a part of the high priest's garments and were instruments by which the Lord made known His will (Exodus 28:30). Joshua normally must have asked Eleazar to inquire for him concerning the Lord's will, and it is probable that at the time of the appointing of the cities of refuge, God's will was revealed in this way,

2.

What instructions had God given to Moses? Joshua 20:1 b

Before the children of Israel left Sinai, God had revealed how He would appoint a place for anyone who killed another man accidentally (Exodus 21:13). Later, God had revealed how He would select cities from among those assigned to the Levites as their inheritance (Numbers 35:6; Numbers 35:11; Numbers 35:14). The Levites were to receive a total of forty-eight cities, and six of these were to be designated as cities of refuge. Still later, God revealed how the children of Israel were to prepare a road to lead to these cities. They were to divide their borders into three equal parts on each side of the Jordan so that no Israelites would be at any great distance from a city of refuge (Deuteronomy 19:2; Deuteronomy 19:9). These facts were all well known to the Israelites, and now it was Joshua's task to implement the designation of these cities.

3.

What purpose did these cities serve? Joshua 20:3

The cities of refuge were selected for the protection of those who killed someone but did not actually commit murder (see Numbers 35:9-34). The roads leading to the cities were always kept in thorough repair and according to tradition were required to be at least thirty-two cubits broad. All obstructions were removed. Nothing was to be allowed to stay the fugitive's foot or hinder his speed. No hill was left ungraded and no river was unbridged. At every turning were posts erected bearing the word refuge to guide the unhappy man in flight. When the manslayer was settled in such a city, he was given a suitable habitation; and the citizens were to teach him some trade by which he might support himself.

4.

Who was the avenger of blood? Joshua 20:5

From the time of Noah, God had said the blood of a murderer would be required. He said that it would be required at the hand of every man's brother (Genesis 9:5). Normally, the brother of a man who was slain would set out to punish the man who had killed his brother. Joab thus attempted to avenge the killing of his brother, Asahel (2 Samuel 2:18-24; cf. 2 Samuel 3:27; see also [1 Samuel 14:4-7). If the slain man's immediate brother was dead, the nearest relative then became the avenger of blood.

5.

How could they tell the difference between a manslayer and a murderer? Joshua 20:5

Certain guidelines were laid down in the law for distinguishing between a man who had committed manslaughter and a man who had committed murder. If a man struck another man following premeditation, the killing was judged to be murder, If he smote him with an instrument of iron or with a stone in his hand, he was guilty of murder. The same was true if he struck a man with a weapon of wood. On the other hand, if the head flew off his ax and struck another man, the congregation would have judged him guilty only of manslaughter (Deuteronomy 19:5; cf. Numbers 35:1-34). When a man was guilty of murder, he was delivered up to the avenger of blood; and the murderer was slain.

6.

How long was a fugitive allowed to stay in a city of refuge? Joshua 20:6

If a man was judged innocent of murder, he was allowed to take up residence in the city of refuge. If he went out of the city of refuge, he went at his own risk. Of course, if the avenger of blood found him out of the city and killed him, the avenger of blood himself would have been guilty of committing murder. He, in turn, would have been tried and judgment passed on his acts. The man who lived in the city of refuge was to stay there until the death of the high priest. At that time, he was free to go. Such an arrangement seems rather arbitrary to us, but it would make provision for the emptying of these cities of the fugitives from time to time.