⚔️ Joshua 20 — Key Summary: ๐ With One Word, God Completes the Command Concerning the Cities of Refuge
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Up to Joshua 19, we have seen the conquest of Canaan and the distribution of the inheritances carried out in an orderly way, according to God's commands and intention.
We also observed that the order of the distribution appears to place the firstborn in a position of priority, followed afterward by the sons of the wives and then the sons of the maidservants.
⚔️ The Main Point of Joshua 20
Right at the beginning of chapter 20, we find the record that the Lord spoke to Joshua. (v. 1)
The subject is the cities of refuge for anyone who accidentally killed another person without intending to do so. (v. 3)
๐ This is the first recorded command that the Lord gives directly to Joshua.
Previously, God had given these instructions through Moses. Therefore, although the content is a repetition of earlier instructions, it seems accurate to understand this as the first time the Lord is recorded as speaking directly to Joshua after he became the leader of Israel.
The command began in the days of Moses, during the time of the Exodus, and additional explanations were gradually added.
Now, in the days of Joshua, we see the command being completed.
๐ To understand what was added in Joshua 20, we need to go back to the beginning of the instructions concerning the cities of refuge.
1. The Prediction of the Cities of Refuge — Exodus 21:12–13
“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.”
✔️ The city of refuge was not for every murderer, but for someone who killed another person unintentionally.
✔️ The expression “God let him fall into his hand” can also be understood as a situation that God permitted or allowed within His providence.
2. Six Cities of Refuge — Three on Each Side of the Jordan
Numbers 35
There were six cities of refuge:
3 east of the Jordan;
3 in the land of Canaan.
✔️ After being judged, the person who had killed someone unintentionally would have protection within the city of refuge.
✔️ Outside the city of refuge, the avenger of blood could kill the murderer without being guilty of bloodshed.
✔️ The murderer was required to remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest.
✔️ After the death of the high priest, he could return to his own land.
๐ Numbers 35:25 records this clearly:
“The congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge to which he had fled. And he shall remain there until the death of the high priest.”
✔️ Therefore, when he was determined to be not guilty of intentional murder, he was to be returned to the city of refuge for his protection.
3. The Three Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan Are Actually Established — Deuteronomy 4
Moses set apart three cities on the eastern side of the Jordan before Joshua became the leader of Israel.
Bezer, for the tribe of Reuben;
Ramoth in Gilead, for the tribe of Gad;
Golan, in Bashan, for the tribe of Manasseh.
4. On the Western Side of Canaan, Roads to the Cities of Refuge Were to Be Prepared — Deuteronomy 19
The land was to be divided into three regions and the roads were to be prepared. (v. 3)
Every murderer was to be able to flee there quickly. (v. 3)
The situation described was someone who had killed his neighbor without intention and without previous hatred. (v. 4)
The elders of the city were also to be involved in the process.
If it was proven that the killing had been intentional, the guilty person was to be handed over to the avenger of blood. (v. 12)
5. The Responsibility of the City Elders Is Confirmed Again — Joshua 20 ๐
Here we find additional instructions:
The murderer was to stop at the entrance of the city and present his case to the elders of that city.
If he had killed his neighbor unintentionally, the elders were to judge him and not hand him over to the avenger of blood. (vv. 4–5)
He was to remain there until he was judged by the congregation, or until another situation occurred.
He was to remain in that city until the death of the high priest who was serving at that time.
After the death of the high priest, he could return to his home.
➡️ Here we can see at least two important pieces of information being added:
✔️ The murderer was required to explain his case to the elders at the entrance of the city. (v. 4)
✔️ Another situation is also presented in which the murderer could return to his own home, after the prescribed period.
6. Deuteronomy 19 and Joshua 20 Describe Different Situations, but There Is a Variable! ๐
In Deuteronomy 19, when intentional murder is involved, we find the principle:
“Life for life.”
At the end of Joshua 20, it becomes clear that the city of refuge concerns the person who killed someone unintentionally.
But here something interesting appears!
In verse 6, we find the word:
“OR”
๐ This small word seems to indicate that there may be another situation besides the one explicitly described. ๐
✔️ In addition to a clear judgment that the killing was either intentional or unintentional, there could be situations in which there were insufficient witnesses, or in which all the facts could not immediately be determined.
Considering that Deuteronomy 19 also contains instructions concerning witnesses, we can understand this as a supplementary instruction for the elders, showing them how to deal with situations that could not simply be classified.
→ In the previous chapter, the command was to prepare the roads so that the murderer could flee quickly.
→ Now, the concern is what should happen after he arrives at the city of refuge.
✔️ One instruction is directed toward the murderer.
✔️ The other is directed toward the elders, telling them how they should proceed.
๐ The Keyword of Joshua 20 ๐๐๐
“OR”
One small word seems to include:
the case in which there was a judgment;
the case in which there had not yet been a judgment;
or other circumstances that might arise.
→ In all these cases, the man was to remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest who was serving at that time.
๐ One small word seems to complete the entire instruction concerning the cities of refuge.
๐ Conclusion
Throughout the Bible, we find various laws and commands being repeated, with additional details being added little by little.
The case of the daughters of Zelophehad is also mentioned again, with additional details, as though an earlier instruction were gradually being supplemented until it became complete.
In the same way, the instructions concerning the cities of refuge are brought up again, with additional explanations and details.
๐ And in Joshua 20:6, one single word — “or” — catches our attention.
It seems to complete the instructions previously given concerning the cities of refuge by taking into consideration not only one specific situation, but also other possibilities.
๐ God takes exceptional circumstances into consideration and supplements His instructions.
And what is especially interesting is that sometimes He does this through just one small word.
๐ One word can complete an entire command concerning the cities of refuge.
This is exactly the kind of detail that makes reading the Bible more and more interesting.
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