Joshua 20:6
in Joshua 20He 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the manslayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
KJV
And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
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This verse in Joshua 20
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThere remains … what Scripture says concerning the death of the chief priest, "that the homicide shall be in the city of refuge even to that time, until the high priest dies." In this passage the literal interpretation causes difficulty. First, the period of flight is limited by chance rather than by any consideration of fairness; further, in like cases the result is unlike. For it could happen that the high priest might die on the day after the homicide took refuge. However, what is the meaning beneath the uncertainty?
This site's exposition
stands at the entrance of the city gate
on Joshua 20:4-6
The elders sat at the gate to hear cases, so the man pleads before a court and his protection turns on a hearing. Verse 4 has the elders receive him, which Barnes reads as a provisional reception followed by the full trial. Release comes only at the high priest's death.
This site's exposition
until the death of the high priest
Calvin reads the exile as a lesson that human blood is precious to God, even where the killing carried no guilt. Ambrose raises the difficulty that the term depends on chance, since a high priest might die the day after the flight. Numbers 35:25 notes that he was anointed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
For the very words of Scripture indicate that even ignorance is a sin. [Thus], also, Job offers burnt offerings for his sons, [in the event] they may have sinned unwittingly in thought. And, if a man is killed by the iron of an axe that flies off the handle when a man is hewing wood, the wood hewer is ordered to flee to a city of refuge and remain in that place until the death of the high priest, that is to say, until he is redeemed by the blood of the Savior, either in the house of baptism or by repentance, which supplies the efficacy of the grace of baptism through the ineffable mercy of the Savior who does not wish anybody to perish. Nor does he find his delight in the death of sinners, but rather that they be converted from their way and live.
The Reformation1 voice
Lastly, the people were accustomed to detest murder, since homicide, even when not culpable, was followed by exile from country and home, till the death of the high priest. For that temporary exile clearly showed how precious human blood is in the sight of God. Thus the law was just, equitable, and useful, as well in a public as in a private point of view.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Stand - Which was the posture of the accused and accusers. The congregation - The council appointed to judge of these matters, not the council of the city of refuge, for they had examined him before, ver. 4, but of the city to which he belonged, or in or nigh which the fact was committed, as appears from Num. xxxv, 25.
And he shall dwell in that city until he shall stand before the congregation for judgment,....
By this law he was entitled to a dwelling in that city, was taken into the care of the government of it, but was confined to it, as prisoner at large; only, if he survived the high priest, then, and not till then, he might return to his own city.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
until the death of the high priest--His death secured the complete deliverance of the manslayer from his sin, only because he had been anointed with the holy oil (Nu 35:25), the symbol of the Holy Ghost; and thus the death of the earthly high priest became a type of that of the heavenly one (Heb 9:14, 15).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Until he stands, etc. for judgement. If he is acquited from exile, he is discharged. If he is sentanced to exile, he is returned to the city of his refuge, and he must reside there until the death of the Kohein-godol.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
29 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיָשַׁ֣ב׀ | veyashav | and he will dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בָּעִ֣יר | bair | in the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הַהִ֗יא | hahi' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עָמְד֞וֹ | amedo | stands he | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לִפְנֵ֤י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הָֽעֵדָה֙ | haedah | the congregation | H5712 → | 149 times |
| לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט | lamishpat | for <the> judgment | H4941 → | 422 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| מוֹת֙ | mot | [the] death of | H4194 → | 156 times |
| הַכֹּהֵ֣ן | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הַגָּד֔וֹל | hagadol | <the> great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִהְיֶ֖ה | yihyeh | he will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בַּיָּמִ֣ים | baiyamim | in the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָהֵ֑ם | hahem | <the> those | H1992 → | 553 times |
| אָ֣ז׀ | ʾaz | then | H227 → | 141 times |
| יָשׁ֣וּב | yashuv | he will return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| הָרוֹצֵ֗חַ | harotzeach | the killer | H7523 → | 47 times |
| וּבָ֤א | uva' | and he will go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עִירוֹ֙ | iro | own city his | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֵּית֔וֹ | beito | own house his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָעִ֖יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נָ֥ס | nas | he fled | H5127 → | 159 times |
| מִשָּֽׁם׃ | misham | from there | H8033 → | 834 times |
וְיָשַׁ֣ב׀and he will dwell
veyashavH3427 →1079 times
בָּעִ֣ירin the city
bairH5892 →1090 times
הַהִ֗יא<the> that
hahi'H1931 →1879 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עָמְד֞וֹstands he
amedoH5975 →521 times
לִפְנֵ֤י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
הָֽעֵדָה֙the congregation
haedahH5712 →149 times
לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔טfor <the> judgment
lamishpatH4941 →422 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
מוֹת֙[the] death of
motH4194 →156 times
הַכֹּהֵ֣ןthe priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
הַגָּד֔וֹל<the> great
hagadolH1419 →526 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִהְיֶ֖הhe will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
בַּיָּמִ֣יםin the days
baiyamimH3117 →2304 times
הָהֵ֑ם<the> those
hahemH1992 →553 times
אָ֣ז׀then
ʾazH227 →141 times
יָשׁ֣וּבhe will return
yashuvH7725 →1056 times
הָרוֹצֵ֗חַthe killer
harotzeachH7523 →47 times
וּבָ֤אand he will go
uva'H935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עִירוֹ֙own city his
iroH5892 →1090 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
בֵּית֔וֹown house his
beitoH1004 →2046 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָעִ֖ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נָ֥סhe fled
nasH5127 →159 times
מִשָּֽׁם׃from there
mishamH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 9:26Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by…
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:20
He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
- Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
- Hebrews 1:2
But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
- Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- 1 Peter 1:20
Through
Numbers 35:12You 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.
it leads to
- Joshua 20:3–6
so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
- 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…
- 2 Samuel 14:7
Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother…
- Joshua 20:3–6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
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About Joshua
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Ambrose of Milan, FLIGHT FROM THE WORLD 2.13; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Against the Pelagians 1.33; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and The Berean Standard Bible, Joshua 20, with the verses cited in the note.