Joshua 20:9
New International Version
Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

New Living Translation
These cities were set apart for all the Israelites as well as the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed another person could take refuge in one of these cities. In this way, they could escape being killed in revenge prior to standing trial before the local assembly.

English Standard Version
These were the cities designated for all the people of Israel and for the stranger sojourning among them, that anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there, so that he might not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, till he stood before the congregation.

Berean Standard Bible
These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

King James Bible
These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

New King James Version
These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.

New American Standard Bible
These were the designated cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who resides among them, so that whoever kills a person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

NASB 1995
These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

NASB 1977
These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

Legacy Standard Bible
These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the sojourner who sojourns among them, that whoever strikes down any person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

Amplified Bible
These were the appointed cities for all the Israelites and for the stranger sojourning (living temporarily) among them, so that whoever killed any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the blood avenger until he had stood before the congregation [for judgment].

Christian Standard Bible
These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and the aliens residing among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the assembly.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the assembly.

American Standard Version
These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person unwittingly might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
These are the cities of salvation and of the place of refuge for all the children of Israel and for the settlers who dwell among them that will be escaping there, everyone who kills a life suddenly, that he would not be delivered into the hand of him who seeks vengeance of blood, until he shall stand before the assembly in judgment

Brenton Septuagint Translation
These were the cities selected for the sons of Israel, and for the stranger abiding among them, that every one who smites a soul unintentionally should flee thither, that he should not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he should stand before the congregation for judgement.

Contemporary English Version
These Safe Towns were set up, so that if Israelites or even foreigners who lived in Israel accidentally killed someone, they could run to one of these towns. There they would be safe until a trial could be held, even if one of the victim's relatives came looking for revenge.

Douay-Rheims Bible
These cities were appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the strangers, that dwelt among them: that whosoever had killed a person unawares might flee to them, and not die by the hand of the kinsman, coveting to revenge the blood that was shed, until he should stand before the people to lay open his cause.

English Revised Version
These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person unwittingly might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
These are the cities chosen as cities of refuge for all Israelites, including the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may escape to these cities. Then he will not be handed over to the relative who can avenge a death before he stands trial in front of the congregation.

Good News Translation
These were the cities of refuge chosen for all the people of Israel and for any foreigner living among them. Any who killed a person accidentally could find protection there from the one looking for revenge; they could not be killed unless they had first received a public trial.

International Standard Version
These were appointed to be cities for all the Israelis and for the foreigner who lives among them, so that whoever kills anyone unintentionally may run there and not die at the hands of a closely related avenger until he stands for trial before the community.

JPS Tanakh 1917
These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person through error might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

Literal Standard Version
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 there of anyone striking life through ignorance, and he does not die by the hand of the redeemer of blood until his standing before the congregation.

Majority Standard Bible
These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

New American Bible
These are the designated cities to which any Israelite or alien residing among them who had killed a person unintentionally might flee to escape death at the hand of the avenger of blood, until the killer could appear before the community.

NET Bible
These were the cities of refuge appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.

New Revised Standard Version
These were the cities designated for all the Israelites, and for the aliens residing among them, that anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there, so as not to die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until there was a trial before the congregation.

New Heart English Bible
These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stands before the congregation.

Webster's Bible Translation
These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger sojourning among them, that whoever should kill any person unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

World English Bible
These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the alien who lives among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stands trial before the congregation.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Six Cities of Refuge
8And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 9These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

Cross References
Numbers 35:13
The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge.

Joshua 20:8
And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.


Treasury of Scripture

These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojournes among them, that whoever kills any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

the cities

Numbers 35:15
These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

until he stood

Joshua 20:4,6
And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them…

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Appointed Avenger Blood Children Cities Congregation Die Hand Israel Kill Killeth Kills Sojourneth Sojourning Sojourns Stands Stood Stranger Thither Unawares Unintentionally
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Appointed Avenger Blood Children Cities Congregation Die Hand Israel Kill Killeth Kills Sojourneth Sojourning Sojourns Stands Stood Stranger Thither Unawares Unintentionally
Joshua 20
1. God commands
7. and the children of Israel appoint the six cities of refuge














Verse 9. - Appointed. Or, of refuge or resort. Our version has followed the LXX. and Vulgate here. Greek, unawares; Hebrew, in error or inadvertently, as above. Matthew Henry's note on the cities of refuge is worthy of remark. He says, "I delight not in quibbling on names, yet am willing to take notice of these." Thus Kedesh, he reminds us, is holy. Shechem, a shoulder, reminding us of Him upon whose shoulder the government was to be. Hebron is fellowship, recalling the fellowship we have in Christ. Bezer is a fortification, reminding us of God our stronghold (later criticism, however, gives another derivation to this unusual word, which in Job 22:24, 25, means the ore of a precious metal), Ramoth is height or exaltation, and to such exaltation we are called in Jesus Christ. Lastly, Golan is exultation, so says Matthew Henry, deriving it from גִיל or גוּל. But Gesenius derives it with equal probability from גלה "to make bare," hence to lead into captivity.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
These
אֵ֣לֶּה (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

are
הָיוּ֩ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

the cities
עָרֵ֨י (‘ā·rê)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 5892: Excitement

appointed
הַמּֽוּעָדָ֜ה (ham·mū·‘ā·ḏāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4152: An appointed place, asylum

for all
לְכֹ֣ל ׀ (lə·ḵōl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the Israelites
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

and foreigners
וְלַגֵּר֙ (wə·lag·gêr)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1616: A guest, a foreigner

among them,
בְּתוֹכָ֔ם (bə·ṯō·w·ḵām)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

so that anyone
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who kills
מַכֵּה־ (mak·kêh-)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5221: To strike

a person
נֶ֖פֶשׁ (ne·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

unintentionally
בִּשְׁגָגָ֑ה (biš·ḡā·ḡāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7684: A mistake, inadvertent transgression

may flee
לָנ֣וּס (lā·nūs)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

there
שָׁ֔מָּה (šām·māh)
Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

and not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

die
יָמ֗וּת (yā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

by the hand
בְּיַד֙ (bə·yaḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of the avenger
גֹּאֵ֣ל (gō·’êl)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1350: To redeem, act as kinsman

of blood
הַדָּ֔ם (had·dām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

prior
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

to standing [trial]
עָמְד֖וֹ (‘ā·mə·ḏōw)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

before
לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the assembly.
הָעֵדָֽה׃ (hā·‘ê·ḏāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5712: A stated assemblage


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OT History: Joshua 20:9 These were the appointed cities for all (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 20:8
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