For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,
They gave them the city of Shechem with its surrounding pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, which was designated as a city of refuge for anyone who accidentally killed someone; and also Gezer with its surrounding lands,
This verse describes how the Israelites gave the Levites specific cities, including Shechem which served as a safe haven for people who accidentally killed someone.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Joshua, after the Israelites had conquered and divided the Promised Land among the tribes, the Levites were assigned specific cities because they served as priests and had no territorial inheritance of their own. Shechem, located in the hill country of Ephraim, was given to them as one of these cities and designated as a city of refuge, where someone who accidentally killed another person could flee to avoid wrongful revenge, as outlined in God's laws in Numbers 35. This system ensured that justice was administered fairly in ancient Israelite society, protecting the innocent while upholding community order.
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