Joshua 20:1

1 And the Lord spake to Joshua, and said,

Joshua 20:1 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:1

The Lord also spake unto Joshua
Out of the tabernacle, at the door of which he with the high priest and princes were; the Lord had spoken to him before concerning dividing the land among the tribes, ( Joshua 13:1-7 ) ; and this being done he speaks to him again:

saying:
as follows.

Joshua 20:1 In-Context

1 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 to them, Ordain ye the cities of refuge for those who be exiled for the unwillful, or the unintentional, shedding of blood, of which cities I spoke to you by Moses,)

3 that whoever slayeth unwittingly a man, flee to those cities; that when he hath fled to one of those cities, he may escape the ire of the neighbour, which is venger of blood. (so that whoever unwittingly killeth someone, can flee to those cities; so that when he hath fled to one of these cities, he can escape the anger of the neighbour, who avengeth the blood.)

4 And he shall stand before the gates of the city, and he shall speak to the elder men of that city those things that shall prove him(self) innocent; and so they shall receive him, and they shall give to him a place to dwell in.

5 And when the venger of blood pursueth him, they of that city shall not betake him into the hands of the venger; for unwittingly he killed his neighbour (for he killed his neighbour unwittingly, or unintentionally), and he is not proved (to be) his enemy before the second day either the third day.