Joshua 20

Six Cities of Refuge

(Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Deuteronomy 19:1–14)

1Then the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 JoshuaH3091H559, 2“TellH1696H413 the IsraelitesH1121H3478H559 to designateH5414 the citiesH5892 of refugeH4733, asH834 I instructedH1696H413 you throughH3027 MosesH4872, 3so that anyoneH7523 who killsH5221 anotherH5315 unintentionallyH7684 or accidentallyH1097H1847 may fleeH5127 thereH8033. These will beH1961 your refugeH4733 from the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818. 4When someone fleesH5127 toH413 oneH259 of theseH428 citiesH5892, standsH5975 at the entranceH6607 of the cityH5892 gateH8179, and statesH1696H241 his caseH1697 before its eldersH2205H1931, they are to bringH622 himH853 into the cityH5892H413 and giveH5414 him a placeH4725 to liveH3427 among themH5973.

5Now ifH3588 the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818H310 pursues himH7291, they must notH3808 surrenderH5462 the manslayerH7523 into his handH3027, becauseH3588 that man killedH5221 his neighborH7453 accidentallyH1097H1847 withoutH3808 priorH8543H8032 maliceH8130H1931. 6He is to stayH3427 in thatH1931 cityH5892 untilH5704 he standsH5975 trialH4941 beforeH6440 the assemblyH5712 and untilH5704 the deathH4194 of the highH1419 priestH3548 servingH1961 at thatH1992 timeH3117. ThenH227 the manslayerH7523H935 may returnH7725 to his own homeH1004H413H5892 inH413 the cityH5892H413 from whichH834 he fledH5127H8033.”

7So they set apartH6942 KedeshH6943 in GalileeH1551 in the hill countryH2022 of NaphtaliH5321, ShechemH7927 in the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669, and Kiriath-arbaH7153 (that isH1931, HebronH2275) in the hill countryH2022 of JudahH3063.

8And beyondH5676 the JordanH3383, eastH4217 of JerichoH3405, they designatedH5414 BezerH1221 on the wildernessH4057 plateauH4334 from the tribeH4294 of ReubenH7205, RamothH7216 in GileadH1568 from the tribeH4294 of GadH1410, andH853 GolanH1474 in BashanH1316 from the tribeH4294 of ManassehH4519.

9TheseH428 areH1961 the citiesH5892 appointedH4152 for allH3605 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 and foreignersH1616H1481 among themH8432, so that anyoneH3605 who killsH5221 a personH5315 unintentionallyH7684 may fleeH5127 thereH8033 and notH3808 dieH4191 by the handH3027 of the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 priorH5704 to standingH5975 trial beforeH6440 the assemblyH5712.