Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
Joshua 20:1-6
The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
After the distribution of the land by lot among the tribes of Israel, six towns were set
apart, in accordance with the Mosaic instructions in Num 35, as places of refuge for
unintentional manslayers. Before describing the appointment and setting apart of
these towns, the writer repeats in vv. 1-6 the main points of the Mosaic law contained
in Num 35:9-29 and Deut 19:1-13, with reference to the reception of the manslayers
into these towns. laakem (OT:3807a ) tªnuw (OT:5414), "give to you," i.e., appoint
for yourselves, "cities of refuge," etc. In v. 6, the two regulations, "until he stand
before the congregation for judgment," and "until the death of the high priest," are to
be understood, in accordance with the clear explanation given in Num 35:24-25, as
meaning that the manslayer was to live in the town till the congregation had
pronounced judgment upon the matter, and either given him up to the avenger of
blood as a wilful murderer, or taken him back to the city of refuge as an unintentional
manslayer, in which case he was to remain there till the death of the existing high
priest. For further particulars, see at Num 35.
Joshua 20:7-9
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount
Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
List of the cites: Levitical cities were chosen, for the reasons explained in the
<strong>Commentary</strong> on the Pentateuch,
p. 835.
Verse 7. In the land on this side (viz., Canaan) they sanctified the following cities. In
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