约书亚记 20:9

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

這些都是為所有的以色列人，和在他們中間寄居的外族人所指定的城，讓誤殺人的可以逃到那裡，不致死在報血仇的人手裡，直到他站在會眾面前受審為止。

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
这 都 是 为 以 色 列 众 人 和 在 他 们 中 间 寄 居 的 外 人 所 分 定 的 地 邑 ， 使 误 杀 人 的 都 可 以 逃 到 那 里 ， 不 死 在 报 血 仇 人 的 手 中 ， 等 他 站 在 会 众 面 前 听 审 判 。

Contextual Overview

⁷ So the Israelites chose these cities to be cities of safety: Kedesh in Galilee in the mountains of Naphtali; Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim; Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron) in the mountains of Judah; ⁸ Bezer on the east side of the Jordan River near Jericho in the desert in the land of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead in the land of Gad; and Golan in Bashan in the land of Manasseh. ⁹ Any Israelite or anyone living among them who killed someone accidentally was to be allowed to run to one of these cities of safety. There he would not be killed, before he was judged, by the relative who had the duty of punishing a murderer.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the cities: Numbers 35:15

until he stood: Joshua 20:4, Joshua 20:6

Reciprocal: Numbers 35:12 - from the avenger Romans 13:4 - revenger

Cross-References

Genesis 12:18
So the king sent for Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me Sarai was your wife?

Genesis 20:10
What were you thinking that caused you to do this?"

Genesis 20:11
Then Abraham answered, "I thought no one in this place respected God and that someone would kill me to get Sarah.

Genesis 20:18
The Lord had kept all the women in Abimelech's house from having children as a punishment on Abimelech for taking Abraham's wife Sarah.

Genesis 26:10
Abimelech said, "What have you done to us? One of our men might have had sexual relations with your wife. Then we would have been guilty of a great sin."

Genesis 34:7
When Jacob's sons heard what had happened, they came in from the field. They were very angry that Shechem had done such a wicked thing to Israel. It was wrong for him to have sexual relations with Jacob's daughter; a thing like this should not be done.

Genesis 38:24
About three months later someone told Judah, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, is guilty of acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned to death."

Genesis 39:9
There is no one in his house greater than I. He has not kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How can I do such an evil thing? It is a sin against God."

Exodus 32:21
Moses said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you? Why did you cause them to do such a terrible sin?"

Exodus 32:35
So the Lord caused terrible things to happen to the people because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 20:9. 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!