Charles Ellicott Commentary Deuteronomy 4:41-43

"Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising; that the manslayer might flee thither, that slayeth his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in time past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: [namely], Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites." — Deuteronomy 4:41-43 (ASV)

THE APPOINTMENT OF THREE CITIES OF REFUGE.

Then Moses severed. —The word “then” appears to be a note of time. It would seem that the appointment of the three cities of refuge on the eastern side of Jordan actually followed this discourse.

On this side Jordan. —Hebrew, b ’ ’ êber hay-yardên. The expression is here defined by the words that follow, “toward the sun-rising,” and it need not, therefore, be taken to fix the writer’s point of view. By itself, the expression would naturally mean, on the other side of Jordan.

Bezer is still unidentified.

Ramoth in Gilead, though famous in the history of Israel as the scene of Ahab’s death and of the anointing of Jehu (1 Kings 21:0 and 2 Kings 9:0), is also still unknown.

Golan has given a name to the district of Gaulonitis. But it is also still unknown. We may hope that when the survey of Eastern Palestine is concluded, these ancient sites will be recovered.