Joshua 20:9

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.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
cities	עָרֵ֨י 'a.Rei	H5892	a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the wi… · noun, common masculine plural construct
appointed	הַמּֽוּעָדָ֜ה ha.mu.'a.Dah	H4152	an appointed place · definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
children	בְּנֵ֣י be.Nei	H1121	a son (as a builder of the family name) · noun, common masculine plural construct
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל Yis.ra.'El	H3478	Jisrael · proper noun, a place name
stranger	וְלַגֵּר֙ ve.la.Ger	H1616	properly · conjunction + preposition with the article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
sojourneth	הַגָּ֣ר ha.Gar	H1481	properly · definite article + verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
among	בְּתוֹכָ֔ם be.to.Kham	H8432	a bisection · preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
killeth	מַכֵּה ma.keh-	H5221	to strike (lightly or severely · verb, hiphil active participle, masculine singular construct
person	נֶ֖פֶשׁ Ne.fesh	H5315	properly · noun, common feminine singular absolute
unawares	בִּשְׁגָגָ֑ה bish.ga.Gah	H7684	a mistake or inadvertent transgression · preposition + noun, common feminine singular absolute
flee	לָנ֣וּס la.Nus	H5127	to flit · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
die	יָמ֗וּת ya.Mut	H4191	to die (literally or figuratively) · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
hand	בְּיַד֙ be.Yad	H3027	a hand (the open one (indicating power · preposition + noun, common both genders singular construct
avenger	גֹּאֵ֣ל go.'El	H1350	to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relati… · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular construct
blood	הַדָּ֔ם ha.Dam	H1818	blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or… · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
stood	עָמְד֖וֹ a.me.Do	H5975	to stand · verb, qal infinitive construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
before	לִפְנֵ֥י lif.Nei	H6440	the face (as the part that turns) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct
congregation	הָעֵדָֽה ha.'e.Dah	H5712	a stated assemblage (specifically · definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Numbers 35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one…
Joshua 20:4 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…
Joshua 20:6 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 i…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Joshua 20:7–end

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 expo…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 20:7

THE ISRAELITES APPOINT BY NAME THE CITIES OF REFUGE. (Jos 20:7-9) they appointed . . . cities--There were six; three on the west, and three on the east, of Jordan. In the first instance, they were a provision of the criminal law of the Hebrews, necessary in the circumstances of that people (see on Num 35:11; Deu 19:2). At the same time they were designed also typically to point out the sinner's way to Christ (Heb 6:18). Next: Joshua Chapter 21

Adam Clarke on Joshua 20:9

For all the children of Israel, and for the stranger - As these typified the great provision which God was making for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, hence the stranger as well as the Israelite had the same right to the benefits of these cities of refuge. Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Until he stood before the congregation - The judges and elders of the people, in trying civil and criminal causes, always sat; the persons who came for judgment, or who were tried, always stood; hence the expressions so frequent in Scripture, Standing before the Lord, the judges, the elders, etc. It is worthy of remark that the cities of refuge were given to th…

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John Gill

Dictionary and topics

Cities Of Refuge — six Levitical cities specially chosen for refuge to the involuntary homicide until released from banishment by the death of the high priest. (Numbers 35:6,13,15; Joshua 20:2,7,9) There were three on…
Aliens · Rights of — Rights of
Avenger Of Blood · SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Homicide · 4:41-43;19:2-10; — 4:41-43;19:2-10;
Refuge · .List of — .List of

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Joshua 20:9

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Joshua 20:7–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 20:7

Adam Clarke on Joshua 20:9

John Gill

Dictionary and topics

Joshua 20:9

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Joshua 20:7–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 20:7

Adam Clarke on Joshua 20:9

John Gill

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Joshua 20:7–end

Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua 20:7–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Joshua 20:9

Rashi on Joshua 20:9