Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Today is History Tuesday and we’ll read Joshua 16-20. And after the reading, I have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “A Place of Refuge.”

Comments on Joshua 20-21

In chapter 20 we read about the cities of refuge, or what I’m calling “Somewhere To Run”. Kind of a callback to the 1965 tune “Nowhere To Run” by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. What a great song. I told you I was old. If you like Motown music, look it up. But I digress. These cities of refuge were places that someone who had unintentionally or accidentally killed a person could flee and be protected from “the avenger of blood”. As the commentator Matthew Henry put it, these were people who were guilty by hand, but not of heart. 

What is “the avenger of blood”? In Israel at that time, each family had a designated person who had the responsibility to be sure that if someone in that family was murdered, justice would done. This was the avenger of blood. 

God wants murderers to be punished. We know this from Genesis 9:6. “Whoever sheds man’s blood,

his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image.”

However, in order to establish that a murder had taken place, there had to be a trial. The cities of refuge were places where the person who had unintentionally or accidentally killed someone could be safe until a trial could happen. The avenger of blood would not be given custody of that person.

If, after a trial, it was shown that the killing was an accident and not a crime of hate or jealousy or rage, then the person would be allowed to stay in that city, and that city only.

It’s interesting to note a few facts about these cities of refuge: all were Levite cities (the Levites were the tribe from which all priests came); these places of refuge were types of, or pointed toward, the refuge that we have in Jesus; they were distributed around the country so that one of them was always within a half day’s journey from anywhere in the country; all the cities were on hills so that they could be seen from a distance, so that if a person were fleeing to one, they could keep their eyes on that place, as we do with Christ.

Reminds me of the old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”. 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 16-17 NET; Ch. 18 NKJV; Ch. 19 NLV; Ch. 20 HCSB

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Transcript

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Joshua 16-20: A Place of Refuge (LSFAB S13E024)

[TEASER – 00:00]
So what is the avenger of blood?

[INTRO S13E024 – 00:09]
Well, hi there. Here we are again. What is here? Well, here is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’ll read through the entire Bible in a year. And I’m so glad you’re here. Today is History Tuesday. We’ll read Joshua 16 through 20. After the reading, of course, I do have some comments for you. I’m calling today’s episode, “A Place of Refuge”. We’ll be reading about God’s plan for making sure justice was properly carried out. But before we read, let’s pray.

[OPENING PRAYER – 00:44]
Our gracious heavenly Father, we thank You so much for Your Word, and we thank You for this time to read Your Word. Open our hearts and open our minds, Lord. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

Okay, let’s begin.

[JOSHUA 16 (NET) – 00:59]
Joshua, chapter 16.

(1) The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho to the east, through the desert and on up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. (2) The southern border extended from Bethel to Luz, and crossed to Arkite territory at Ataroth. (3) It then descended westward to Japhletite territory, as far as the territory of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and ended at the sea.

(4) Joseph’s descendants, Manasseh and Ephraim, were assigned their land. (5) The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following: The border of their assigned land to the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon. (6) It then extended on to the sea, with Micmethath on the north. It turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and crossed it on the east to Janoah. (7) It then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, and extended to the Jordan River. (8) From Tappuah it went westward to the Valley of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim by its clans. (9) Also included were the cities set apart for the tribe of Ephraim within Manasseh’s territory, along with their towns.

(10) The Ephraimites did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.

[JOSHUA 17 (NET) – 02:28]
Joshua, chapter 17.

(1) The tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was also allotted land. The descendants of Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, received land, for they were warriors. They were assigned Gilead and Bashan. (2) The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land by their clans, including the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

(3) Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. (4) They went before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us land among our relatives.” So Joshua assigned them land among their uncles, as the Lord had commanded. (5) Manasseh was allotted ten shares of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, (6) for the daughters of Manasseh were assigned land among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

(7) The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Micmethath which is near Shechem. It then went south toward those who live in Tappuah. (8) (The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah, located on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.) (9) The border then descended southward to the Valley of Kanah. Ephraim was assigned cities there among the cities of Manasseh, but the border of Manasseh was north of the valley and ended at the sea. (10) Ephraim’s territory was to the south, and Manasseh’s to the north. The sea was Manasseh’s western border and their territory touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. (11) Within Issachar’s and Asher’s territory Manasseh was assigned Beth Shean, Ibleam, the residents of Dor, En Dor, the residents of Taanach, the residents of Megiddo, the three of Napheth, and the towns surrounding all these cities. (12) But the men of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed to remain in those areas. (13) Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.

(14) The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number.” (15) Joshua replied to them, “Since you have so many people, go up into the forest and clear out a place to live in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, for the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.” (16) The descendants of Joseph said, “The whole hill country is inadequate for us, and the Canaanites living down in the valley in Beth Shean and its surrounding towns and in the Valley of Jezreel have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.” (17) Joshua said to the family of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment. (18) The whole hill country will be yours; though it is a forest, you can clear it and it will be entirely yours. You can conquer the Canaanites, though they have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels and are strong.”

[JOSHUA 18 (NKJV) – 06:03]
Joshua, chapter 18.

(1) Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them. (2) But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance.

(3) Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you? (4) Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. (5) And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north. (6) You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. (7) But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.”

(8) Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” (9) So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. (10) Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.

(11) Now the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot came out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. (12) Their border on the north side began at the Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the mountains westward; it ended at the Wilderness of Beth Aven. (13) The border went over from there toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Bethel) southward; and the border descended to Ataroth Addar, near the hill that lies on the south side of Lower Beth Horon.

(14) Then the border extended around the west side to the south, from the hill that lies before Beth Horon southward; and it ended at Kirjath Baal (which is Kirjath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west side.

(15) The south side began at the end of Kirjath Jearim, and the border extended on the west and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. (16) Then the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is in the Valley of the Rephaim on the north, descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite city on the south, and descended to En Rogel. (17) And it went around from the north, went out to En Shemesh, and extended toward Geliloth, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. (18) Then it passed along toward the north side of Arabah, and went down to Arabah. (19) And the border passed along to the north side of Beth Hoglah; then the border ended at the north bay at the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern boundary.

(20) The Jordan was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its boundaries all around, according to their families.

(21) Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, (22) Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, (23) Avim, Parah, Ophrah, (24) Chephar Haammoni, Ophni, and Gaba: twelve cities with their villages; (25) Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, (26) Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah, (27) Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, (28) Zelah, Eleph, Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

[JOSHUA 19 (NLV) – 10:08]
Joshua, chapter 19.

(1) The second name drawn was for the families of the people of Simeon. Their land was in the center of the land of the people of Judah. (2) They had in their land the cities of Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, (3) Hazarshual, Balah, Ezem, (4) Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, (5) Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, (6) Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen, thirteen cities with the towns around them. (7) There were Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan, four cities with their towns. (8) And they had all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, also known as Ramah of the Negev. This was the land given to the families of the people of Simeon. (9) The land of the people of Simeon was taken from the land of the people of Judah. For the share of the people of Judah was too large for them. So the people of Simeon received a share of land in the center of Judah’s land.

(10) The third name drawn was for the families of the people of Zebulun. The share of their land was as far as Sarid. (11) The side of their land went from there west to Marealah, touched Dabbesheth, and on to the river by Jokneam. (12) It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise as far as the land of Chisloth-tabor, then on to Daberath and up to Japhia. (13) From there it went east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, Eth-kazin, and on to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. (14) Then the side of their land turned north to Hannathon, and ended at the valley of Iphtahel. (15) In their land were Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. In all there were twelve cities with the towns around them. (16) This is what was given to the families of the people of Zebulun, these cities with the towns around them.

(17) The fourth name drawn was for the families of the people of Issachar. (18) Their land spread to Jezreel. In it were Chesulloth, Shunem, (19) Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, (20) Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, (21) Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Bethpazzez. (22) Their land spread to Tabor, Shahazumah, Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan, with sixteen cities and their towns. (23) This is what was given to the families of the people of Issachar, the cities with the towns around them.

(24) The fifth name drawn was for the families of the people of Asher. (25) In their land were Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, (26) Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. It spread west to Carmel and Shihor-libnath. (27) It turned east to Beth-dagon and to Zebulun along the valley of Iphtahel north to Bethemek and Neiel. Then it went on north to Cabul, (28) Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as the big city of Sidon. (29) From there the side of their land turned toward Ramah and then to the strong city of Tyre, turned again to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Achzib, (30) Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities with the towns around them. (31) This is what was given to the families of the people of Asher, these cities with the towns around them.

(32) The sixth name drawn was for the people of Naphtali, for the families of the people of Naphtali. (33) Their land spread from Heleph, from the big tree in Zaanannim. It went through Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum. And it ended at the Jordan. (34) The side of their land turned from there west to Aznoth-tabor, and went on to Hukkok. It spread to Zebulun in the south, Asher in the west, and to Judah at the Jordan in the east. (35) The strong cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, (36) Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, (37) Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, (38) Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh. There were nineteen cities with their towns. (39) This is what was given to the families of the people of Naphtali, the cities with their towns.

(40) The seventh name drawn was for the families of the people of Dan. (41) In their land were Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, (42) Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, (43) Elon, Timnah, Ekron, (44) Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, (45) Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, (46) Me-jarkon and Rakkon, with the land near Joppa. (47) The people of Dan needed more land. So they went up and fought with Leshem and took it with the sword. They took it for themselves and lived in it. And they gave it the name Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. (48) This is what was given to the families of the people of Dan, these cities with their towns.

(49) When they finished dividing the land and giving to each family group their share, then the people of Israel gave some land among them to Joshua the son of Nun. (50) As the Lord had told them, they gave him the city he asked for. They gave him Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and lived in it.

(51) This is the land which was given by Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the houses of the families of the people of Israel. It was given by drawing names in Shiloh before the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. So they finished dividing the land.

[JOSHUA 20 (HCSB) – 15:29]
Joshua, chapter 20.

(1) Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, (2) “Tell the Israelites: Select your cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, (3) so that a person who kills someone unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood. (4) When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before the elders of that city, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them. (5) And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, for he killed his neighbor accidentally and did not hate him beforehand. (6) 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. Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to his own city from which he fled.”

(7) So they designated Kedesh in the hill country of Naphtali in Galilee, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. (8) Across the Jordan east of Jericho, they selected Bezer on the wilderness plateau from Reuben’s tribe, Ramoth in Gilead from Gad’s tribe, and Golan in Bashan from Manasseh’s tribe.

(9) These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the assembly.

[COMMENTARY – 17:01]
In chapter 20, we read about the Cities of Refuge or what I’m calling “Somewhere to Run”. Kind of a call back to the 1965 tune, “Nowhere to Run” by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Man, what a great song that was. I told you I was old. If you like Motown music, look it up. But I digress. These Cities of Refuge were places that someone who had unintentionally or accidentally killed a person could flee and be protected from “the avenger of blood”. As the commentator Matthew Henry put it, “These were people who were guilty by hand but not of heart.”

So what is “the avenger of blood”? Well, in Israel at that time, each family had a designated person who had the responsibility to be sure that if someone in that family was murdered, justice would be done. This was the avenger of blood.

Now God wants murderers to be punished. We know this from Genesis 9:6 which says, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image.” You remember reading that right?

Well, the thing is, in order to establish that a murder had taken place, there had to be a trial. The Cities of Refuge were places where a person who had unintentionally or accidentally killed someone could be safe until a trial could happen. The avenger of blood would not be given custody of that person.

If, after a trial, it was shown that the killing was an accident and not a crime of hate or jealousy or rage, then the person would be allowed to stay in that city and that city only.

It’s interesting to note a few facts about the Cities of Refuge. All of them were Levite cities, the Levites were the tribe from which all priests came. So these places of refuge were types of or pointed toward the refuge that we have in Jesus. They were distributed around the country so that one of them was always within a half day’s journey from anywhere in the country. And all the cities were on hills so that they could be seen from a distance so that if a person were fleeing to one, they could keep their eyes on that place as we do with Christ.

It reminds me of the old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Part of the lyrics of that song say:

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.”

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE – 19:34]
What are your thoughts? Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 or go to the show notes page for this episode at lifespringmedia.com/s13e024.

Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday. We’ll read Psalms 9 through 11. And since it will be Wednesday, it will also be prayer request and praise report day. If there’s something that you’d like the Lifespring family to pray for you about or if there’s something you want to praise God for call the Lifespring Family Hotline or go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. Come on. We’re family here and one of the great things about a healthy family is that they pray for one another and rejoice together. Don’t be shy. Send me something.

[PRAISE REPORT – 20:18]
I have a praise that can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s been about a month that my Bitcoin node has been wonky and unable to receive boosts and booster grams or any streaming payments. I’ve had so many other things on my plate that I haven’t been able to devote the time necessary to dig into that and get it fixed. But, yesterday I was finally able to do that. And with the help of a person who goes by the handle OpenNoms on the Raspiblitz Telegram group, it is back in service. So for those of you who are using a modern podcast app, and you want to send some value my way to help support the show, let her rip, and I’ll read your boostagrams on the show. Who’s gonna be first? Value-for-value is, of course, what helps to keep the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you seven days a week. There are no advertisers, creepy or otherwise, on the show and there never will be because with advertisers comes censorship. Most advertisers don’t want to be identified with the uncompromised teaching of God’s Word. So I’m counting on you, the Lifespring family, to support the show. If you find value in the daily reading of the Bible and perhaps find encouragement in my comments. The amount of your support is completely up to what you think is appropriate. I ask only that you pray about it, seek the Lord’s will and then go to lifespringmedia.com/support. You can give a one-time donation or weekly, monthly or quarterly. I’ll thank you, and I think God will bless you.

[OUTRO S13E024 – 21:48]
Sister Kirsty does the newsletter which will be coming out this week. Brother Sean of San Pedro does the chapters and Sister Denise corrects the transcripts. This is the team. God bless you guys.

And now, until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thank you for inviting me into your day today. My name is Steve Webb. See you tomorrow. Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Transcript corrected by Denise