Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

20:1-2 The fullest description of how the cities of refuge are to function appears in Num. 35:6-34, where the Lord expands on his initial instructions to Moses in Ex. 21:12-14. They are to be six in number, chosen among the Levitical cities, with three on each side of the Jordan (Num. 35:13-14). They are to guarantee judicial due process for anyone in Israel, including "the stranger" and "the sojourner" (Num. 35:15). In Deut. 4:41-43 Moses designates by name the three cities of refuge in the newly conquered territory east of the Jordan, one each in the territories of Reuben, Gad, and eastern Manasseh. Later, in Deut. 19:1-10, he charges Israel regarding the cities to be designated west of the Jordan, though he does not name them, as the land is yet to be conquered. They are to be appropriately spaced, so that the fugitive can reach the nearest one before being overtaken by the avenger (Deut. 19:3; and see note on Josh. 20:3). Should God enlarge Israel's territory, an additional three cities can be designated (Deut. 19:8-9). That the additional three are not mentioned in Joshua may hint at the fact that Israel was not entirely successful in taking over all the land. The three cities west of the Jordan are finally named in Josh. 20:7. This overall progression is in keeping with the geographical movements of Israel and the extent of the conquest at each stage.

20:3 A manslayer was one who unintentionally or without premeditation took another's life. The "kinsman-redeemer" (Hb. go’el) was typically the nearest male relative, responsible to protect the family's lives, liberty, property, and so forth (Lev. 25:25-26). Where a life was taken, the kinsman-redeemer became the avenger of blood, held responsible in cases of murder to "put the murderer to death" (Num. 35:19, 21). In distinction from some of its ancient Near Eastern neighbors, Israel was to "accept no ransom for the life of the murderer" (Num. 35:31), for the Lord desired justice in respect to both guilt and innocence (Prov. 17:15).

20:6 until he has stood before the congregation . . . until the death of him who is high priest at the time. This verse compresses the fuller instructions provided in Numbers 35.

21:1-41 From the beginning of the division of the land, this section in which the Levites receive their inheritance has been anticipated (see note on 13:14). Mention of Eleazar, Joshua, and the heads of the fathers' houses (21:1), as well as the location at Shiloh (v. 2), indicate that this final allocation took place at the same time and place as the general distribution of chs. 18-19. Back in Num. 35:1-8, the Lord commanded through Moses that 48 cities (including the six cities of refuge) be assigned to the Levites. The effect of taking cities and their pasturelands from each of the tribes would be to scatter the Levites throughout the whole of Israel (cf. Gen. 49:7). This distribution would facilitate the Levites' fulfilling their duties. Many of the cities were along borders--with the Philistines in the southwest; the Canaanites in the plains and coastlands to the north; eastern boundary regions in Transjordan; and so forth. The Levites were grouped according to their descent from one of Levi's three sons (see Gen. 46:11). The Kohathites (Josh. 21:4), of whom Aaron and his line descended (Ex. 6:16-20), received cities in the center and the south of the land, while the Gershonites (Josh. 21:6) and Merarites (v. 7) received cities in the north and east.

21:18 The priestly city of Anathoth (see 1 Kings 2:26) was the eventual home of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 1:1).

21:43-45 Just as the account of the taking of the land drew to a close with generalizing summaries (10:40-42; 11:16-23), so the account of the dividing of the land ends with a summary section. It picks up on key motifs such as "land," "rest," and "victory" as the Lord's "gifts" (see esp. ch. 1; the word "rest" occurs also in 11:23 and 14:15, but the Hb. terminology is different). As seen later in Joshua, this section should be understood as a broad summary statement emphasizing the Lord's decisive action on behalf of Israel, rather than as a comprehensive assertion that all of Israel's enemies had been eradicated from the land. Although Israel did, in fact, take possession of the land and settled there (21:43), much work still remained to be done (see 23:5). But the key point is that the Lord has been utterly true to his good promises: none has failed, and all came to pass (21:45; the word "all" occurs six times in the Hb. text of vv. 43-45; see also 23:14).