Joshua 20:3

God's Word

Choose them so that anyone who unintentionally kills someone may run to them. They will be a place of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death.

Cross References

2 Samuel 14:11

She said, “Your Majesty, please pray to the Lord your God in order to keep an avenger from doing more harm by destroying my son.” “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” he said, “not a hair on your son’s head will fall to the ground.”

Leviticus 4:2

“Tell the Israelites: If a person unintentionally does something wrong—even one thing that is forbidden by any of the Lord’s commands—this is what he must do.

Numbers 35:12

These cities will be places of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death. So anyone accused of murder will not have to die until he has had a trial in front of the community.

Numbers 35:19

The relative who can avenge the death must make sure a murderer is put to death. When he catches up with the murderer, he must kill him.

Numbers 35:22

“But suppose you accidentally kill someone who wasn’t your enemy. Maybe you shoved him or threw something at him but didn’t mean to kill him.

Hebrews 6:18

God did this so that we would be encouraged. God cannot lie when he takes an oath or makes a promise. These two things can never be changed. Those of us who have taken refuge in him hold on to the confidence we have been given.

Joshua 20:2

“Tell the people of Israel, ‘Now choose for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses.

Joshua 20:4

“ ‘A person who kills someone accidentally can run to one of these cities. There he will stand at the entrance to the city, where court is held, and present his case to the leaders of that city. Then they will take him into their city and give him a place to live with them.