Joshua20

The LORD commanded Joshua to designate cities of refuge throughout Israel, as previously instructed through Moses. These cities were established to provide a safe haven for individuals who had unintentionally killed another person, protecting them from the avenger of blood. The slayer could dwell in such a city until a proper judgment by the congregation or until the death of the reigning high priest.

The Command to Establish Cities of Refuge

1
And Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying,
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`Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Give for you cities of refuge, as I have spoken unto you by the hand of Moses,
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for the fleeing thither of a man-slayer smiting life inadvertently, without knowledge; and they have been to you for a refuge from the redeemer of blood.
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`When one hath fled unto one of these cities, and hath stood at the opening of the gate of the city, and hath spoken in the ears of the elders of that city his matter, then they have gathered him into the city unto them, and have given to him a place, and he hath dwelt with them.
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`And when the redeemer of blood doth pursue after him, then they do not shut up the man-slayer into his hand, for without knowledge he hath smitten his neighbour, and is not hating him hitherto;
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and he hath dwelt in that city till his standing before the company for judgment, till the death of the chief priest who is in those days--then doth the man-slayer turn back and hath come unto his city, and unto his house, unto the city whence he fled.'

Designation of the Six Cities

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And they sanctify Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kirjath-Arba (it is Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah;
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and beyond the Jordan, at Jericho eastward, they have given Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain, out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
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These have been cities of meeting for all the sons of Israel, and for a sojourner who is sojourning in their midst, for the fleeing thither of any one smiting life inadvertently, and he doth not die by the hand of the redeemer of blood till his standing before the company.
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