JOSHUA LESSON 20


     We will begin this lesson in Joshua 20:1 "The LORD also spake
unto Joshua, saying,"

     This is a repeating directly from the LORD to Joshua. He had
given this same message to Moses about the cities of refuge.

     Joshua 20:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out
for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of
Moses:"

     This is the very thing the Lord had spoken to Moses about the
cities of refuge. Numbers 35:11 "Then ye shall appoint you cities to
be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which
killeth any person at unawares." Numbers 35:12 "And they shall be unto
you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not,
until he stand before the congregation in judgment."  Numbers 35:13
"And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for
refuge." Numbers 35:14 "Ye shall give three cities on this side
Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, [which]
shall be cities of refuge."

     Joshua 20:3 "That the slayer that killeth [any] person unawares
[and] unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from
the avenger of blood."

     The person, who murders someone, will not be allowed to come to
the city of refuge. This is a place of safety for the person, who
accidentally kills someone. The wording of the law given to Joshua,
here, is the same as that in Numbers and Deuteronomy. Moses had
finished those books before his death. This law would have been
available to Joshua, but God spoke to Joshua, also. Perhaps, the
speaking was to verify to Joshua that he should do this. It was the
custom for the relative of the one slain, to hunt the killer down and
take revenge. This city would be a place to stay in safety, until it
was determined whether this was accidental, or on purpose.

     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 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."

     Even when the slayer arrives in the city of refuge, it is the
elders of the city that decide whether he should enter, or not. The
two key words in verse 3 above are unawares and unwittingly, either
would not have been through malice. This is what the elders must
determine.  Does the one seeking safety fit either of these
categories? If he does, he can enter in.

     Joshua 20:5 "And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then
they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote
his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime."

     The avenger was usually a close relative. In the heat of the
death of a loved one, it is sometimes difficult to accept the fact
that it was an accident. The slayer would be safe, until his trial.
The Greeks and Romans had a much different look at this same thing.
There was safety for someone who had committed murder with them. The
Hebrews had no such law. The slayer must have killed the person with
no hate in his heart at all. It had to be an accident.

     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 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."

     The safety of the slayer is, until he is judged innocent, or
guilty of premeditated murder. If he is found innocent by the
congregation, then he remains in the city of refuge for safety. He can
not return to his original home, until the high priest dies. The death
of the high priest, perhaps, symbolizes the death on the cross of the
great High Priest {Jesus Christ}. He became the substitute for our
sin, and pardoned us of all wrong doing. At the death of the high
priest, he could resume his normal life at his own home.

     Joshua 20:7  "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."

     These three cities chosen were easy to get to for everyone.
Kedesh was in the north, Shechem was in the center, and Hebron was in
the south. It is interesting, to me, that all three are spoken of as
mountains. All of these were Levitical cities, which had been an early
requirement for cities of refuge. God had given great wisdom to the
Levites to determine innocence, or guilt, in such matters.  This is
the first time in Scripture that Galilee is used.

     Joshua 20:8 "And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward,
they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe
of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in
Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh."

     These three cities were chosen on the eastern side of the River
Jordan. Bezer was directly across the river from Jericho. Notice, one
city was chosen out of each tribe. Again, all three of these cities
chosen were Levitical cities. The three cities were Bezer, Ramoth, and
Golan.

     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."

     The city of refuge was for anyone facing this problem. It
guaranteed justice for those innocent of shedding the blood of man.
They would not protect them, if they were found guilty of murder. They
would turn them over to the avenger. The innocent were treated as a
member of the community with full privileges.

     It is interesting to look at the meaning of the names of the
cities of refuge. "Kedesh" means holy. " Shechem" means shoulder.
"Hebron" means fellowship. "Bezer" means fortification. "Ramoth" means
height, or exaltation. "Golan" means exaltation. All of these names
show us Jesus Christ, who is our refuge. He is our very present help
in trouble. He is holy. He is a shoulder for us to lean upon. He is
our very best friend. We can fellowship with Him, when no one wants
us.  He builds a hedge around us, He is our fortification. He is our
joy {exaltation}. The names of the cities of refuge are a description
of Jesus Christ {our protector}.






































                         Joshua 20 Questions


1.  Who had the LORD previously given this message to?
2.  Quote Numbers chapter 35 verses 11 through 14.
3.  Who can flee to the city of refuge?
4.  Who penned Numbers and Deuteronomy?
5.  Who was the revenger of someone who was slain?
6.  What must the slayer do to get into the city?
7.  Who decides whether he can enter, or not?
8.  Do they give the slayer over to the avenger of blood?
9.  What was the law of the Greeks and Romans, pertaining to this same
    thing?
10. How long shall the slayer remain in the city of refuge?
11. When will he be allowed to go home in safety?
12. What does the death of the high priest symbolize?
13. What 3 cities on the west side of Jordan were chosen for cities of
    refuge?
14. Where were they located?
15. All of these were ___________ cities.
16. What 3 cities were chosen on the east side of the Jordan?
17. Which city was directly across from Jericho?
18. How did the law differ for the stranger?
19. What does "Kedesh" mean?
20. What does "Shechem" mean?
21. What does "Hebron" mean?
22. What does "Bezer" mean?
23. What does "Ramoth" and "Golan" mean?
24. Who does the meaning of these names describe?