Joshua 20:1

Cities to Go to for Safety

1 Then the LORD spoke to Joshua. He 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 Then the LORD spoke to Joshua. He said,

2 "Tell the people of Israel 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 one who is charged with murder will be kept safe from the nearest male relative of the person who was killed.

4 "Suppose the one who is charged runs for safety to one of those cities. Then he must stand in the entrance of the city gate. He must state his case in front of the elders of that city. They must let him come into their city. They must give him a place to live there.

5 "Suppose the nearest male relative of the person who was killed comes after him. Then the elders must not hand him over to that relative. That's because he didn't mean to kill his neighbor. He didn't make evil plans to do it.