The Meaning of Joshua 20:7 Explained

Joshua 20:7

KJV: And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

YLT: And they sanctify Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kirjath-Arba (it is Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah;

Darby: And they hallowed Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kirjath-Arba, that is, Hebron, in the hill-country of Judah.

ASV: And they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron) in the hill-country of Judah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they appointed  Kedesh  in Galilee  in mount  Naphtali,  and Shechem  in mount  Ephraim,  and Kirjatharba,  which [is] Hebron,  in the mountain  of Judah. 

What does Joshua 20:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 20:1-9 - Cities Of Refuge
These arrangements carried out Numbers 35:9-34. Remember the distinction between deliberate murder and unintentional homicide. Only those who had committed the latter were eligible for refuge.
The fugitive told his story at the gate and was admitted provisionally, Joshua 20:4. His case was afterward investigated by the citizens or their delegates; and if his story were found correct, he might stay till the death of the high priest. This functionary was a type of our Lord; and thus the death of each high priest pre-signified that death by which captive souls are freed and the remembrance of sin made to cease.
The cities were placed so as to be within easy access from all parts of the country. See Proverbs 18:10; Hebrews 6:18. It is an urgent question for us all, Are we within the city, the walls and bulwarks of which are salvation? [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 20

1  God commands
7  and the children of Israel appoint the six cities of refuge

What do the individual words in Joshua 20:7 mean?

So they appointed - Kedesh in Galilee in the mountains of Naphtali and Shechem of Ephraim - Kirjath Arba it [is] Hebron of Judah
וַיַּקְדִּ֜שׁוּ אֶת־ קֶ֤דֶשׁ בַּגָּלִיל֙ בְּהַ֣ר נַפְתָּלִ֔י וְאֶת־ שְׁכֶ֖ם אֶפְרָ֑יִם קִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥יא חֶבְר֖וֹן יְהוּדָֽה

וַיַּקְדִּ֜שׁוּ  So  they  appointed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
קֶ֤דֶשׁ  Kedesh 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֶדֶשׁ  
Sense: a city in the extreme south of Judah.
בַּגָּלִיל֙  in  Galilee 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גָּלִיל  
Sense: a territory in Naphtali largely occupied by heathen; a circuit of towns around Kedesh-Naphtali, in which were situated the 20 towns given by Solomon to Hiram king of Tyre as payment for his work in conveying timber from Lebanon to Jerusalem.
בְּהַ֣ר  in  the  mountains 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
נַפְתָּלִ֔י  of  Naphtali 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַפְתָּלִי  
Sense: the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel.
שְׁכֶ֖ם  Shechem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם 
Sense: son of Hamor, the chieftain of the Hivites at Shechem at the time of Jacob’s arrival.
אֶפְרָ֑יִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
קִרְיַ֥ת  - 
Parse:
אַרְבַּ֛ע  Kirjath  Arba 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע 
Sense: early name of the city which after the conquest was called ‘Hebron’.
הִ֥יא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
חֶבְר֖וֹן  Hebron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶבְרֹון 
Sense: a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar.
יְהוּדָֽה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.