Joshua 20:9

Jos 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.

Ver. 9. And for the stranger that sojourneth.] Who dwelt with them for a time, and were not of the same religion: or such only as were proselyted.

Until he stood before the congregation.] Till, after the death of the high priest, and the avenger’s wrath qualified, he be restored and re-established in his own house, under the security of public protection. {a}

{a} Diod.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20:9 The treatment of foreigners in Israel was a great advance in human relations. Resident aliens were to receive every justice offered to native Israelites (see Exod 22:21; Lev 19:33-34; 24:22; Num 15:15-16).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Before the Judges.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 9. For all the children of Israel, and for the stranger] As these typified the great provision which God was making for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, hence the stranger as well as the Israelite had the same right to the benefits of these cities of refuge. Is HE the God of the Jews only? Is HE not also the God of the Gentiles?

Until he stood before the congregation.] The judges and elders of the people, in trying civil and criminal causes, always sat; the persons who came for judgment, or who were tried, always stood; hence the expressions so frequent in Scripture, STANDING before the Lord, the judges, the elders, c.

IT is worthy of remark that the cities of refuge were given to the Levites see the following chapter. The sacrificial system alone afforded refuge; and while the suspected person was excluded from his family, c., he had the advantage of being with those whose business it was to instruct the ignorant, and comfort the disconsolate. Thus he had the means constantly at hand, by a careful use of which he might grow wiser and better secure the favour of his God, and a lot of blessedness in a better world. How wise, equal, and beneficent are all the institutions of God!

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. These were the cities appointed] “Civitates constitutæ,” Vulgate. “The citees ordeyned,” Wyclif.

for the stranger that sojourneth] “And to comlyngis that dwellen among hem;” Wyclif. Observe that the Mosaic Law applied its merciful provisions not only to the members of the Elect Nation, as though they were a sacred “caste,” but to the “stranger” also that sojourned among them. The existence of such a class of “naturalized foreigners” in Israel is easily accounted for:—

(a) The “mixed multitude” that came out of Egypt (Exo_12:38) formed one element;

(b) The remains of the Canaanites—never wholly extirpated—formed a second;

(c) Captives taken in war formed a third;

(d) Fugitives, hired servants, merchants formed a fourth. The census of these in Solomon’s time gave a return of 153,600 males (2Ch_2:17), which was nearly equal to about a tenth of the whole population.

that whosoever killeth any person] Jewish commentators tell us how in later times, in order that the asylum offered to the involuntary homicide might be more secure, (a) the roads leading to the Cities of Refuge were always kept in thorough repair, and required to be at least 32 cubits broad; (b) all obstructions were removed that might stay the flier’s foot or hinder his speed; (c) no hillock was left, no river was allowed over which there was not a bridge; (d) at every turning there were posts erected bearing the words “Refuge,” “Refuge,” to guide the unhappy man in his flight; (e) when once settled in such a city the manslayer had a convenient habitation assigned to him, and the citizens were to teach him some trade in order that he might support himself.—See Kitto’s Biblical Cyclopædia, i. p. 527.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel,.... For the common use of them all, and not for that tribe only in which they stood:

and for the stranger that sojourneth among them; not only for the proselytes of righteousness, but for the proselytes of the gate also, as well as for the natives of Israel; Christ is a refuge for Jews and Gentiles, for all sinners that flee to him:

that whosoever killeth any person unawares might flee thither; and find shelter and safety:

and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood; getting thither before he could overtake him:

until he stood before the congregation: either before the congregation, the elders of the city, or court of judicature in the city of refuge, or before the court of his own city, from whence he fled, if summoned thither.

Next: Joshua Chapter 21

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Strangers. The limitations of the Jews in favour of their own nation are rejected. The civil and criminal law should affect all alike, except, God order it otherwise. --- Stand. This was the posture of the people accused, while the judges sat. (Drusius) (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

For the stranger; not only proselytes, but others also; because this was a matter of common right, that a distinction might be made between casual man-slayers and wilful murderers.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. And for the stranger — A fore-shadowing of the provision for the salvation of the Gentiles through Christ. And not die by the hand of the avenger of blood. — There was one important condition which must be constantly fulfilled — the fugitive must not venture beyond the borders of his refuge (Num_35:27) until the death of the High Priest. Thus must the pardoned sinner by faith abide beneath the shelter of the atoning blood, or be irretrievably lost. Heb_6:6. These safeguards against interminable and bloody feuds are in striking contrast with the blood-revenge still existing in the East under Mohammedan law. “Two villages have disputed about a stray goat; there was first tremendous shouting, especially among the women, urging on their husbands and brothers to fight; then in a moment of excitement weapons were used, and blood was shed; and blood calls for blood. Thus every member of the family to the remotest degree is kept in constant dread. He stalks about, armed, at all hours and in all places — with his goats on the mountain-side, with his donkey on the road, with his plough in the field; in seed-time and harvest, summer and winter, heat and cold. Imagination makes the ‘avenger of blood’ follow him like a shadow, ever watchful for an unguarded moment to fall upon him. Many a family has this blood-revenge compelled to flee from house and home, and seek refuge among strangers; many a village it has left desolate, for none will live where the sentence of death hangs constantly over them. In the Koran this fearful law is commended: ‘O true believers, the law of retaliation is ordained to you for the slain; the free shall die for the free.’” — Dr. Porter’s “Syria and Palestine.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Appointed. Or, of refuge or resort. Our version has followed the LXX and Vulgate here. Greek, unawares; Hebrew, in error or inadvertently, as above. Matthew Henry"s note on the cities of refuge is worthy of remark. He says, "I delight not in quibbling on names, yet am willing to take notice of these." Thus Kedesh, he reminds us, is holy. Shechem, a shoulder, reminding us of Him upon whose shoulder the government was to be. Hebron is fellowship, recalling the fellowship we have in Christ. Bezer is a fortification, reminding us of God our stronghold (later criticism, however, gives another derivation to this unusual word, which in Job_22:24, Job_22:25, means the ore of a precious metal), Ramoth is height or exaltation, and to such exaltation we are called in Jesus Christ. Lastly, Golan is exultation, so says Matthew Henry, deriving it from lygi or lWg. But Gesenius derives it with equal probability from hlg "to make bare," hence to lead into captivity.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The stranger - Not only proselytes, but others also; because this was a matter of common right, that a distinction might be made between casual man-slayers, and wilful murderers.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

would not die by the hand of the one

Here "by the hand" is an idiom that means to be the specific cause of something. AT: "would not be killed by the one" (See: Idiom)

avenge the blood that was shed

This can be stated in active form. See how you translated a similar phrase in Joshua 20:3. AT: "avenge a person's death" (See: Metonymy and Active or Passive)

translationWords

alien

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

That were set aside. They were prepared and set aside for this.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.