Joshua 20:9

9 These cites were ordained to all the sons of Israel, and to the comelings that dwell among them, that he that killed unwittingly a man, should flee to those cities; and he should not die in the hand of the neighbour, coveting to venge the blood shed out, till he stood before the people, to declare his cause. (These cities were ordained to all the Israelites, and to the newcomers who live among them, so that he who unwittingly killed someone, could flee to them; and so that he would not die at the hand of the neighbour, coveting to avenge the blood shed out, until he first had stood before the people to declare his case.)

Joshua 20:9 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:9

These were the cities appointed for all the children of
Israel
For the common use of them all, and not for that tribe only in which they stood:

and for the stranger that sojourneth among them;
not only for the proselytes of righteousness, but for the proselytes of the gate also, as well as for the natives of Israel; Christ is a refuge for Jews and Gentiles, for all sinners that flee to him:

that whosoever killeth any person unawares might flee thither;
and find shelter and safety:

and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood;
getting thither before he could overtake him:

until he stood before the congregation:
either before the congregation, the elders of the city, or court of judicature in the city of refuge, or before the court of his own city, from whence he fled, if summoned thither.

Joshua 20:9 In-Context

7 And they ordained Kedesh in Galilee, of the hill of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill of Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, that is Hebron, in the hill of Judah. (And they ordained Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah.)
8 And beyond (the) Jordan, against the east coast of Jericho (And on the eastern side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho), they ordained Bezer, that is set in the field wilderness of the lineage of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, of the lineage of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, of the lineage of Manasseh.
9 These cites were ordained to all the sons of Israel, and to the comelings that dwell among them, that he that killed unwittingly a man, should flee to those cities; and he should not die in the hand of the neighbour, coveting to venge the blood shed out, till he stood before the people, to declare his cause. (These cities were ordained to all the Israelites, and to the newcomers who live among them, so that he who unwittingly killed someone, could flee to them; and so that he would not die at the hand of the neighbour, coveting to avenge the blood shed out, until he first had stood before the people to declare his case.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.