Lexical Summary muadah: Assembly, appointed place, meeting Original Word: מועָדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance appointed From ya'ad; an appointed place, i.e. Asylum -- appointed. see HEBREW ya'ad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yaad Definition appointed NASB Translation appointed (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מוּעָדָה noun feminine ׳עָרֵי הַמּ cities appointed (for refuge) Joshua 20:9 (P). Topical Lexicon Terminology and ConceptMôʿădâh (Strong’s Hebrew 4152) combines the idea of “appointment” with the idea of “gathering.” It speaks of a place or occasion that God Himself establishes as the proper locus for corporate decision, affirmation, or protection. The root yaʿad (“to appoint, set, assemble”) underscores both divine intention and covenant accountability: God calls His people to come together at a place of His choosing in order to carry out justice and preserve community order. Biblical Occurrence: Joshua 20:9 “These were the cities designated for all the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who killed a person unintentionally could flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing before the assembly.” (Joshua 20:9) Joshua’s narrative calls each of the six “cities of refuge” a môʿădâh because they were more than physical safe zones; they were sanctified venues where the congregation would meet to weigh facts, protect the innocent, and restrain vengeance until truth could be established. Historical Context: Cities of Refuge Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 19, and Joshua 20 articulate the Lord’s provision for manslayers who killed “unintentionally and without malice.” Each refuge city stood within easy reach of every Israelite and resident alien. Gates remained open, roads were kept clear, and Levitical oversight assured that the entire judicial process remained God-centered rather than clan-centered. By labeling these cities môʿădâh, Scripture highlights their: • God-given status (they were “designated” not by human consensus but by divine command). Judicial and Theological Significance 1. Due Process: Môʿădâh secures a formal hearing before action is taken. The avenger of blood must not act until “standing before the assembly.” This foreshadows later biblical principles of multiple witnesses and impartial judgment (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). 2. Sanctity of Life: By preventing both blood-guilt and blood-feud, the appointed meeting place affirms that every human life belongs to God. Even accidental killing required sanctuary because life is sacred (Genesis 9:6). 3. Extension to the Foreigner: “For the foreigners residing among them” demonstrates that Israel’s laws of refuge embrace Gentile sojourners, anticipating the Gospel’s offer of grace to all nations. Christological Foreshadowing The refuge city prefigures Christ, in whom sinners fleeing the wrath to come find safety and a sure hearing (Hebrews 6:18). Just as môʿădâh guarantees shelter until judgment, so the believer’s union with Christ guarantees protection until final vindication (Romans 8:1). The congregation’s role in discernment mirrors the church’s duty to apply redemptive discipline while upholding mercy (Galatians 6:1-2). Relationship to Other Appointed Realities Hebrew uses the same root (yʿd) for the tabernacle’s “tent of meeting” (’ōhel môʿēd) and for Israel’s festal calendar (môʿadîm). Whether time, space, or assembly, God governs every sphere of covenant life. Môʿădâh therefore forms part of a larger theology: divine appointments order worship, justice, and community alike (Leviticus 23:2; Exodus 29:42). Ministry Application • Uphold impartial justice: churches and ministries must create safe venues where truth can be heard without prejudice. Summary Môʿădâh embodies God’s gracious insistence that justice and mercy meet. In Joshua 20:9 it names the city-as-court where human life is protected, facts are examined, and the community obeys its covenant obligations. Through this single occurrence, Scripture weaves a rich tapestry of divine appointment, judicial righteousness, and redemptive refuge—threads that ultimately converge in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the believer’s eternal City of Refuge. Forms and Transliterations הַמּֽוּעָדָ֜ה המועדה ham·mū·‘ā·ḏāh hammū‘āḏāh hammuaDahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 20:9 HEB: הָיוּ֩ עָרֵ֨י הַמּֽוּעָדָ֜ה לְכֹ֣ל ׀ בְּנֵ֣י NAS: These were the appointed cities KJV: These were the cities appointed for all the children INT: become cities were the appointed for all the sons 1 Occurrence |
    |