Then he shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the (A)gate of the city, and state his case in the [a]presence of the elders of that city; and they shall [b]receive him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may remain among them. Now (B)if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they are not to hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, since he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him previously. And he shall remain in that city (C)until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then [c]he shall [d]return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 20:4 Lit ears of
  2. Joshua 20:4 Lit gather
  3. Joshua 20:6 Lit the one who committed manslaughter
  4. Joshua 20:6 Lit return and come

When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate(A) and state their case before the elders(B) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. 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. They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly(C) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”

Read full chapter