Joshua 20:6

6 The killer will live in that city until there can be a trial before the community or until the death of the one who is high priest at that time. Then the killer may return home, back to the city from which the flight began.'"

Joshua 20:6 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:6

And he shall dwell in that city until he shall stand before
the congregation for judgment
That is, until his cause was heard in the court of judicature in his own city, or in any other to which the avenger of blood should appeal: see ( Numbers 35:24 Numbers 35:25 ) ; who if they found him guilty of death, they put him to death; but if only guilty of accidental manslaughter, then they delivered him up to his city of refuge for safety, where he was to abide

until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days;
see ( Numbers 35:25 ) ;

then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his
own house, unto the city from whence he fled;
and live with his family in the enjoyment of his possessions and estates, honours, and privileges belonging to him, as before; see ( Numbers 35:28 ) .

Joshua 20:6 In-Context

4 The killer will flee to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and explain their situation to the elders of that city. The elders are to let the killer into the city and provide a place of refuge for the killer to live with them.

5 If a member of the victim's family follows, seeking revenge, they won't hand the killer over. This is because the killer struck down the neighbor by accident and hadn't been an enemy in the past.

6 The killer will live in that city until there can be a trial before the community or until the death of the one who is high priest at that time. Then the killer may return home, back to the city from which the flight began.'"

7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the highlands of Naphtali, Shechem in the highlands of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the highlands of Judah.

8 On the other side of the Jordan east of Jericho, they set up Bezer in the wasteland on the plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb uncertain