Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 21:21
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,
21. Shechem ] See above Jos 17:7, Jos 20:7; Gezer, see Jos 10:33.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For they gave them Shechem, with her suburbs, in Mount Ephraim,…. Of which see Jos 20:7;
[to be] a city of refuge for the slayer; which being on a mountain, was the more conspicuous, and the fitter for this purpose, as was Hebron in the hill country of Judea, Jos 21:11; this is the second; city of refuge mentioned:
and Gezer with her suburbs: a place from whence the Canaanites were not expelled; [See comments on Jos 16:10].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
21-24. Shechem Jos 17:7.
Gezer Jos 10:33.
Beth-horon Jos 10:10.
Aijalon Jos 10:12.
Tanach Jos 12:21.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And they gave them Shechem, with her suburbs, in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Gezer with her suburbs, and Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs. Four cities.’
The Ephraimite cities were then listed. The first was Shechem, the city of refuge which was with Jerusalem the most powerful of the cities in the hill country. This was probably selected because it was seen as an ancient sanctuary connected with ‘the Lord of the covenant’ (Baalberith – at this time Baal was probably a title that could be used of Yahweh – see Judges 9). Gezer was a strong city and never fully occupied by Israel although later subjected to taskwork (Jos 16:10). It was even later captured by Merenptah of Egypt and then by the Philistines, being given by Egypt to Solomon on his marriage. The listing of this city demonstrates a very early date when the capture and driving out of its inhabitants was still seen as a probability. Kibzaim, perhaps tell el-Mazar, is otherwise unknown. Beth-horon was either Upper or Lower Beth-horon, meaning ‘house of Hauron’, a Canaanite god of the underworld. It controlled the valley of Aijalon and was thus an important city.
These four cities, with the immediate surrounding lands, were placed under Levite control. With Gezer it may never have become an actuality.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
in mount = in the hill country of.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Shechem: Jos 20:7, Gen 33:19, Jdg 9:1, 1Ki 12:1
Gezer: Jos 16:10, 1Ki 9:15-17, 1Ch 6:67
Reciprocal: Num 35:6 – six cities for refuge Jos 10:33 – Gezer Jos 17:7 – Shechem
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
21:21 For they gave them {h} Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, [to be] a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,
(h) Hebron and Shechem were the two cities of refuge under the Kohathites.