UNROLL
At first light, a dusty road runs up to the open wooden gates of a small hill town, a clay lamp still burning in a niche beside them.

The Book of

Joshua 20

Six towns with open gates, set apart just as God had commanded through Moses.

9 verses≈ 3 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–5Crossing overInto the land
  2. 6–12Taking the landThe LORD fights for Israel
  3. 13–21Dividing the landAn inheritance for each tribeChapter 20
  4. 22–24Choose this dayServe the LORD

Six Cities of Refuge

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

God
God

so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

In the shade of a small town's open gateway, elders seated on stone benches listen to a dusty traveler who stands before them with his hands open.

The law

At the city gate

  1. Arrival

    At the gate, before the elders

    When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.

  2. Protection

    Never handed to the avenger

    Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice.

  3. How long

    Until trial and the high priest’s death

    He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time.

  4. Release

    Then home again

    Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.”

they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them

Joshua 20:4

Reflect

A place among them

The man at the gate could not undo what he had done. He could only run, stand at the entrance and tell the truth. And the elders were to “bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.” Where have you run to God for refuge, with something you could not undo? And who around you needs that same welcome from you: a place at your table, in your church, among your friends? Write down one thing you are bringing to Him, and one person you could make room for.

Jordan RiverKedeshShechemHebronGolan (site uncertain)Ramoth in Gilead (site uncertain)Bezer (site uncertain)

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Six cities of refuge

Three cities west of the Jordan, from north to south: Kedesh in Galilee in the hills of Naphtali, Shechem in the hills of Ephraim, and Hebron (Kiriath-arba) in the hills of Judah. Three east of it: Golan in Bashan for Manasseh, Ramoth in Gilead for Gad, and Bezer on the plateau for Reuben. Spread through the land, none was far from anyone in Israel. The sites of Bezer, Ramoth and Golan are uncertain.

You’ve experienced

Joshua 20

0 of 24 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.

Joshua 20:4

or swipe left