Joshua 20:2

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Joshua 20:1–4 · Berean Standard Bible

1 Then the LORD said to Joshua,

2 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,

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.

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Exodus 21:13

If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

Exodus 21:14

But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

Numbers 35:6

Six of the cities you give the Levites are to be appointed as cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. In addition to these, give the Levites forty-two other cities.

Numbers 35:11

designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there.

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.

Numbers 35:13

The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge.

Numbers 35:14

Select three cities across the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan as cities of refuge.

Deuteronomy 4:41

Then Moses set aside three cities across the Jordan to the east

Deuteronomy 4:42

to which a manslayer could flee after killing his neighbor unintentionally without prior malice. To save one’s own life, he could flee to one of these cities:

Deuteronomy 4:43

Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.

Deuteronomy 19:2

then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Deuteronomy 19:3

You are to build roads for yourselves and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities.

Deuteronomy 19:4

Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him:

Deuteronomy 19:5

If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.

Deuteronomy 19:6

Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.

Deuteronomy 19:7

This is why I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.

Deuteronomy 19:8

And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them,

Deuteronomy 19:9

and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.

Deuteronomy 19:10

Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.

Deuteronomy 19:11

If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,

Deuteronomy 19:12

the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.

Deuteronomy 19:13

You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.

Romans 8:1

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:33

Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8:34

Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.

Hebrews 6:18

Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

Hebrews 6:19

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

Numbers 35:15

These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or stranger among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

Numbers 35:16

If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

Numbers 35:17

Or if anyone has in his hand a stone of deadly size, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

Numbers 35:18

If anyone has in his hand a deadly object of wood, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

Numbers 35:19

The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.

Numbers 35:20

Likewise, if anyone maliciously pushes another or intentionally throws an object at him and kills him,

Numbers 35:21

or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood finds the murderer, he is to kill him.

Numbers 35:22

But if anyone pushes a person suddenly, without hostility, or throws an object at him unintentionally,

Numbers 35:23

or without looking drops a heavy stone that kills him, but he was not an enemy and did not intend to harm him,

Numbers 35:24

then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.