The big picture
Joshua 20 opens in verse 1 with “The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 5 with “And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up…”, and closes in verse 9 with “These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger…” Repeated or prominent terms include city, avenger, blood, cities, flee. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Joshua · King James Version · 9Joshua 20:1-5
1–5: The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
Joshua 20:1–5 opens with “The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,” and reaches “And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Joshua 20 develops its own movement around city, avenger, blood, cities, flee, with particular weight carried by city, avenger, blood.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,” Naming Joshua keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of…” Naming Appoint and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Joshua 20:1-5
King James Version1The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
2Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
3That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4And 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.
5And 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.
Joshua 20:6-9
6–9: He shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for…
Joshua 20:6–9 opens with “And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until…” and reaches “These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Joshua 20 develops its own movement around city, avenger, blood, cities, flee, with particular weight carried by city, tribe, appointed.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is…” Naming Ephraim and Galilee keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Joshua 20:6-9
King James Version6And 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.
7And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
8And 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.
9These 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Joshua 20:1 begins with “The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Joshua 20:6 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Joshua 20:9 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words city, avenger, blood, cities, flee, hand help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What assumption drives Abraham's deception?
He assumes there is no fear of God in the place and that he will be killed.
How does the chapter expose that assumption?
Abimelech responds seriously to God's warning and confronts Abraham about wrongdoing.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- doth
- does
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.