English Standard Version
Joshua 20:5
5And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not give up the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unknowingly, and did not hate him in the past.
Joshua 20:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
- New International Version (NIV)If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand.
- New Living Translation (NLT)If the relatives of the victim come to avenge the killing, the leaders must not release the slayer to them, for he killed the other person unintentionally and without previous hostility.
Context of Joshua 20:5
3that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there. They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. 4He shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city. Then they shall take him into the city and give him a place, and he shall remain with them. And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not give up the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unknowingly, and did not hate him in the past. 6And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.'" 7So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
Read all of Joshua 20Joshua 20:5 word by word
וְכִ֨י יִרְדֹּ֜ף גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו וְלֹֽא־יַסְגִּ֥רוּ אֶת־הָרֹצֵ֖חַ בְּיָד֑וֹ כִּ֤י בִבְלִי־דַ֙עַת֙ הִכָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ וְלֹֽא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ה֛וּא ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if the avengerגָּאַלgâ'al · to redeem: avengeH1350
- of bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- pursueרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- him, then they shall not deliverסָגַרsâgar · to shutH5462
- the slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
- up into his handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- because he smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- unwittinglyדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
- unwittinglyבְּלִיbelîy · withoutH1097
- and hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
- him not beforetimeשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032
- him not beforetimeתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
Cross-references for Joshua 20:5
Commentaries on Joshua 20:5
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6These verses review the law about cities of refuge (see also Numbers 35:6–34).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-61-3. The Lord spake unto Joshua ... Appoint out for you cities of refuge--(See Nu 35:9-28; De 19:1-13). The command here recorded was given on their going to occupy their allotted settlements. The sanctuaries were not temples or altars, as in other countries, but inhabited cities; and the design was not to screen criminals, but only to afford the homicide protection from the vengeance of the deceased's relatives until it should have been ascertained…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 20:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries