Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Joshua 20:7 - 20:7

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Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Joshua 20:7 - 20:7


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

List of the cites: Levitical cities were chosen, for the reasons explained in the Commentary on the Pentateuch.

Jos 20:7

In the land on this side (viz., Canaan) they sanctified the following cities. In the north, Kedesh (see at Jos 12:22), in Galil, on the mountains of Naphtali. Galil (a circle) was a district in the northern part of the subsequent province of Galilee; it is called הַגֹּויִם גְּלִיל, circle of the heathen, in Isa 9:1, because an unusually large number of heathen or Gentiles were living there. In the centre of the land, Shechem, upon the mountains of Ephraim (see at Jos 17:7). And in the south, Kirjath-arba, i.e., Hebron, upon the mountains of Judah (see at Jos 10:3).

Jos 20:8-9

The cities in the land on the other side had already been appointed by Moses (Deu 4:41-43). For the sake of completeness, they are mentioned here again: viz., Bezer, Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan (see at Deu 4:43). The subject is brought to a close in Jos 20:9. הַמּוּעָדָה עָרֵי signifies neither urbes congregationis (Kimchi) nor urbes asyli (Gesenius), but cities of appointment, - those which received the appointment already given and repeated again in what follows.