Joshua 20:3

3 If any of you accidentally kills someone, you can go there and escape the one who is looking for revenge.

Joshua 20:3 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:3

That the slayer that killeth [any] person unawares, [and]
unwittingly, may flee thither
Who through mere accident, and without design, killed a person, friend or foe, one of his own kindred, or a stranger, without any malice against him, or intention to take away his life:

and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood;
from any of the relations of the deceased, who might be stirred up to avenge the blood of his kinsman on the slayer; see ( Numbers 35:12 ) .

Joshua 20:3 In-Context

1 Then the Lord told Joshua

2 to say to the people of Israel, "Choose the cities of refuge that I had Moses tell you about.

3 If any of you accidentally kills someone, you can go there and escape the one who is looking for revenge.

4 You can run away to one of these cities, go to the place of judgment at the entrance to the city, and explain to the leaders what happened. Then they will let you into the city and give you a place to live in, so that you can stay there.

5 If the one looking for revenge follows you there, the people of the city must not hand you over to that one. They must protect you because you killed the person accidentally and not out of anger.