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Joshua 20:6

6 And he shall remain in that city 1until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.'"

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 He shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city. Then they shall take him into the city and give him a place, and he shall remain with them.
5 And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not give up the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unknowingly, and did not hate him in the past.
6 And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town 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 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.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Num. 35:12, 24, 25
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.