Yehoshua 20:5

5 And if the Go’el HaDahm pursue after him, then they shall not surrender the slayer up into his yad; because he struck his neighbor unwittingly, and not with malice against him beforetime.

Yehoshua 20:5 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:5

And if the avenger of blood pursue after him
To the city of refuge, whither he is fled, and demand him:

then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hands;
to be slain by him, but shall protect him:

because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not
beforetime; (See Gill on Numbers 35:22), (See Gill on Numbers 35:23), and (See Gill on Deuteronomy 19:6).

Yehoshua 20:5 In-Context

3 That the slayer that killeth any nefesh unawares and unwittingly may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the Go’el HaDahm.

4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the petach (entrance) of the sha’ar ha’ir, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the zekenim of that city, they shall admit him into the Ir unto them, and give him a makom, that he may dwell among them.

5 And if the Go’el HaDahm pursue after him, then they shall not surrender the slayer up into his yad; because he struck his neighbor unwittingly, and not with malice against him beforetime.

6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before HaEdah L’Mishpat, and until the Mot of the HaKohen HaGadol that shall be in those yamim; then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own bais, unto the Ir from whence he fled.

7 And they appointed Kedesh in the Galil in Har Naphtali and Shechem in Har Ephrayim, and Kiryat Arba, which is Chevron, in Har Yehudah.