Joshua 20:1-6

Israel Designates Cities of Refuge

20:1 The Lord instructed Joshua: 20:2 “Have the Israelites select ¹  the cities of refuge ²  that I told you about through Moses. 20:3 Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; ³  these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood. 20:4 The one who committed manslaughter ⁴  should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. ⁵  They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there. ⁶  20:5 When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation. ⁷  20:6 He must remain ⁸  in that city until his case is decided by the assembly ⁹  and the high priest dies. ¹⁰  Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.” ¹¹ 

[20:2]  ¹ tn Heb “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘Set aside for yourselves.’”

[20:2]  ² tn Or “asylum.”

[20:3]  ³ tn Heb “so that the one who kills, taking life accidentally without knowledge, may flee there.”

[20:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the one who accidentally kills another, cf. v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “and speak into the ears of the elders of that city his words.”

[20:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “and they should gather him into the city to themselves, give to him a place, and he will live with them.”

[20:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “for without knowledge he killed his neighbor, and he was not hating him prior to that.”

[20:6]  ⁸ tn Or “live.”

[20:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “until he stands before the assembly for judgment.”

[20:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “until the death of the high priest who is in those days.”

[20:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “may return and enter his city and his house, the city from which he escaped.”