Joshua 20 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 20:2. Cities of refuge, all of which were inhabited by the levites. See on Numbers 35. Some heathen temples, and after them christian churches, were places of refuge. In the laws of king Ina, who reigned in the west of England, we have a scale of different fines imposed on those Saxon offenders, who took refuge in the churches.

Joshua 20:6. Till the death of the highpriest, who was prince of the sanctuary; and it was usual to liberate prisoners when a new prince ascended the throne. The rabbins by the multitude of their opinions declare, in fact, that they were ignorant of the spiritual import of this law, which all christians refer to the deliverance obtained for sinners by the death of Christ, our eternal Highpriest at the right hand of God.

REFLECTIONS.

The cities of refuge have already been considered, and reflections on their object and design may be found in Numbers 35. But it is here remarked, that they stood on hills. So the sinner will find salvation and deliverance in mount Zion.