Joshua 20 - Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)

Cities of Refuge

20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua 2 and told him to give the people of Israel the following directions:

Designate for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses. 3 A person who takes a life may flee to one of them, if that person has killed someone by accident, without intent. These cities are to serve for you as a refuge from the avenger[a] of blood.

4 The person is to flee to one of these cities and stand at the entrance to the gate of the city and state his case before a hearing of the elders of that city. They are to receive him into the city and give him a place where he can live with them. 5 When the avenger of blood pursues him, the elders are not to hand over the person who took a life to the avenger, because that person killed his fellow man without intent, and he had not been his enemy previously. 6 The killer is to live in that city until he stands in front of the community for judgment, and then until the death of the high priest who presides in those days. At that time the one who took a life may return to his city and to his house—to the city from which he fled.

7 So 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. 8 Also in the region on the east side of the Jordan of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 These were the appointed cities for all the people of Israel and for the aliens residing among them, so that anyone killing a person accidentally could flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood before he stood trial in the presence of the community.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 20:3 The Hebrew word translated avenger is goel. Goel is also translated redeemer or kinsman redeemer. One function of the goel was to seek justice for a relative who had been killed. In that situation the goel is called an avenger. Another duty of the goel was recovering lost property. In that situation he is called a redeemer.

You Might Also Like:

Joshua 20 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

20 And Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying, 2 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Give for you cities of refuge, as I have spoken unto you by the hand of Moses, 3 for the fleeing thither of a man-slayer smiting life inadvertently, without knowledge; and they have been to you for a refuge from t...
Read More

Joshua 20 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

20 And the Lord spake to Joshua, and said, 2 Speak thou to the sons of Israel, and say thou to them, Separate ye (out) the cities of fugitives, either of men exiled for (the) unwillful shedding of blood, of which cities I spake to you by the hand of Moses, (Speak thou to the Israelites, and say thou...
Read More

Joshua 20 - World English Bible (WEB)

20 Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses, 3 that the man slayer who kills any person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there. They shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 ...
Read More

Joshua 20 - The Voice (VOICE)

20 Then the Eternal One spoke to Joshua. Eternal One: 2 Tell the Israelites, “You must set apart cities of refuge, as I directed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who accidentally or unintentionally kills a person may flee there. These cities shall be set up as a refuge from anyone seeking blood ...
Read More

Joshua 20 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Six Cities of Refuge20 Then Adonai spoke to Joshua saying, 2 “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael saying, ‘Designate your cities of refuge, about which I spoke to you through Moses. 3 So the manslayer who kills any person by mistake and without premeditation may flee there. They will be your refuge from the ave...
Read More

Joshua 20 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Cities of Refuge20 Then the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the manslayer who kills any person without intent or unwittingly may flee there; they shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of bloo...
Read More

Joshua 20 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Cities of Refuge20 Then the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the manslayer who kills any person without intent or unwittingly may flee there; they shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of bloo...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Cities of Refuge20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 ‘Say to the Israelites, “Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person without intent or by mistake may flee there; they shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. ...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Cities of Refuge20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Say to the Israelites: Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,(A)3 so that anyone who kills a person without intent or by mistake may flee there; they shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 ...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Cities of Refuge20 The Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses. 3 Anyone who kills another person accidentally and unintentionally can run to one of these cities; they will be places of refuge from relatives seeking revenge for the...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New Life Version (NLV)

20 The Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Choose the cities where you may go and be safe when you are in trouble, as I said to you through Moses. 3 So the man who kills any person without meaning to or planning to may run to one of these cities. They will be places where you can...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Cities of Refuge(A)20 The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: (B)‘Appoint[a] for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Cities of refuge20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: 2 ‘Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. 4 When they flee to one ...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New International Version (NIV)

Cities of Refuge(A)20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: 2 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally(B) may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.(C) 4 When they flee t...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Cities to Run to for Safety20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua. He said, 2 “Tell the Israelites to choose the cities to go to for safety, just as I directed you through Moses. 3 Anyone who kills a person by accident can run there for safety. So can anyone who kills a person without meaning to. The on...
Read More

Joshua 20 - New English Translation (NET)

Israel Designates Cities of Refuge20 The Lord instructed Joshua: 2 “Have the Israelites select[a] the cities of refuge[b] that I told you about through Moses. 3 Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there;[c] these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood. 4 The one w...
Read More