Joshua 20 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Cities of Refuge

20 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 The slayer shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain the case to the elders of that city; then the fugitive shall be taken into the city and given a place and shall remain with them.(B)5 And if the avenger of blood is in pursuit, they shall not give up the slayer because the neighbor was killed by mistake, there having been no enmity between them before.(C)6 The slayer shall remain in that city until there is a trial before the congregation, until the death of the one who is high priest at the time; then the slayer may return home, to the town in which the deed was done.”(D)

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.(E)8 And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed 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.(F)9 These were the cities designated for all the Israelites and for the aliens residing among them, that anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there, so as not to die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until there was a trial before the congregation.(G)

Cross references

  1. 20.2 : Num 35.6–34; Deut 4.41; 19.2
  2. 20.4 : Ruth 4.1, 2
  3. 20.5 : Num 35.12
  4. 20.6 : Num 35.25
  5. 20.7 : Josh 21.11, 32; 1 Chr 6.76; Lk 1.39
  6. 20.8 : Josh 21.27, 36, 38
  7. 20.9 : v 6; Num 35.15

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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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. ...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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