👉 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
Explanation: Okay, letās break down this verse from Joshua 20:2. It's a really important part of Godās plan after the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Hereās what it means in simpler terms: Basically, God is telling the Israelites to designate specific places ā ācities of refugeā ā where they can find rest and peace. Letās unpack that a little further: āSpeak to the children of Israelā¦ā : This refers back to the group of people God had led into the wilderness. āā¦saying, Appoint out for youā¦ā : God is giving them a command ā āEstablishā or āDesignateā these places. āā¦theews of refugeā¦ā : These are special locations, essentially sanctuaries, that God wants them to find. Think of them as safe havens. āTheews I spake unto you by the hand of Mosesā¦ā : This is a bit more poetic, but it means that this instruction came from Moses, who was part of Godās plan to guide and lead the Israelites. So, what's the point? God wanted the Israelites to have places they could go to feel closer to him and find comfort. These cities were meant to be places where they could: Find peace: They wouldnāt be isolated; there would be other people nearby. Connect with God: It was a way for them to experience God's presence more deeply. Seek guidance: They needed a place to draw strength from and get direction. In short, it's about establishing a relationship with God in a physical location. --- Do you want me to: Explain another verse? Discuss the context of this passage within the larger story of the Israelitesā journey?
