Joshua 20

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate, or command] to Joshua [the leader, whose name means ‘God is salvation’], word study 2 “Tell the Israelites [sons of Jacob, God’s chosen people] to designate [appoint, assign] the cities [towns, communities] of refuge [safe haven, asylum], as I instructed [spoke, commanded] you through Moses [the prophet, leader of Israel], word study 3 so that anyone who [unintentionally, without knowledge] kills [murders, takes the life of] another [person, soul] unintentionally [by mistake, unawares] or accidentally [without design, unwittingly] may flee [run, escape] there [to that place, thither]. These will be your [place of] refuge [asylum, safe haven] from the avenger [redeemer, kinsman] of blood [life]. word study 4 When someone flees [escapes, runs away] to one of these cities [places of refuge, towns of safety], stands [presents himself, takes a stand] at the entrance [gate, doorway] of the city gate [main entrance, public gate], and states [declares, tells] his case [situation, story] before its elders [responsible men, leaders], they are to bring him into the city [receive him, give him shelter] and give him a place [provide a location, assign a residence] to live [dwell, reside] among them [with the community, in their midst]. word study 5 Now if the avenger [one seeking revenge] of blood [the liquid that flows through the body] pursues [chases with hostile intent] him, they must not surrender [give up or hand over] the manslayer [one who kills unintentionally] into his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share], because that man killed [struck or smote] his neighbor [fellow or companion] accidentally [without knowledge or intention, unawares] without prior [beforehand, previous] malice [hatred or ill will]. word study 6 He is to stay [dwell, remain, abide] in that city [town, settlement] until he stands [stands firm, presents himself] trial [judgment, verdict] before the assembly [congregation, gathering] and until the death [passing away, end of life] of the high priest [chief priest, spiritual leader] serving at that time [in those days, during that period]. Then the manslayer [one who kills, murderer] may return [go back, turn back] to his own home [house, dwelling place] in the city [town, settlement] from which he fled [escaped, ran away].” word study 7 So they set apart [consecrated, made holy] Kedesh [a city in Galilee, a holy place] in Galilee [a region in northern Palestine] in the hill country [mountainous region] of Naphtali [one of the twelve tribes of Israel], Shechem [a city in Palestine, a place of covenant] in the hill country [mountainous region] of Ephraim [a tribe of Israel, doubly fruitful], and Kiriath-arba [the city of Arba, also known as Hebron] (that is, Hebron [a city in Palestine, a place of rest]) in the hill country [mountainous region] of Judah [a tribe of Israel, praise]. word study 8 And beyond [on the other side of, east of] the Jordan [the river running from Lebanon to the Dead Sea], east [the direction of the sunrise] of Jericho [a city in Palestine, the first conquered by the Israelites in Canaan], they designated [gave, assigned] Bezer [a place in Palestine, meaning gold ore or remote fortress] on the wilderness [desert, open field] plateau [level or plain area] from the tribe [group of people] of Reuben [the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah], Ramoth [a place name, meaning heights] in Gilead [a mountainous region, rocky region] from the tribe of Gad [the seventh son of Jacob and the founder of the tribe of Gad], and Golan [a place east of the Jordan River, a city of refuge] in Bashan [a fertile region, fruitful land] from the tribe of Manasseh [a grandson of Jacob and the ancestor of a large tribe]. word study 9 These [specific, appointed] are the cities appointed for all [every single one] the Israelites [descendants of Jacob] and foreigners [sojourners, non-Israelites] among them, so that anyone who kills [unintentionally slays, takes the life of] a person [soul, living being] unintentionally [without realizing it, in error] may flee [run, escape] there [to that place, as a refuge] and not die [be put to death, lose their life] by the hand [power, authority] of the avenger of blood [kinsman, redeemer] prior to standing [presenting themselves, appearing] trial [judgment, evaluation] before the assembly [congregation, gathered community]. word study