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Joshua 20:5

3 so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

4 When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.

Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice.

6 He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.”

7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

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BSB
Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice.
KJV
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
WEB
If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him before.
ASV
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver up the manslayer into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unawares, and hated him not beforetime.
DARBY
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; for he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not previously.
BLB
And if the avenger of the blood pursues after him, they shall not shut up the manslayer into his hand, because without knowing he struck his neighbor; he did not hate him from yesterday and the day before yesterday.
ÅB
Og når blodhevneren forfølger ham, da skal de ikke overgi manndraperen i hans hånd, fordi han slo sin neste ihjel av vanvare og uten før å ha båret hat til ham.
OTB
Hvis blodhevneren forfølger dem, må de eldste ikke utlevere den som har begått drap, siden de drepte sin nabo utilsiktet og uten forutgående ondskap.
B1930
Og når blodhevneren forfølger ham, da skal de ikke overgi manndraperen i hans hånd, fordi han slo sin næste ihjel av vanvare og uten før å ha båret hat til ham.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 35:12

    You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 35:25

    The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

    Read in context