Joshua 20

YHWH commands Joshua to designate six cities of refuge—three west and three east of the Jordan—for those who unintentionally kill someone, providing protection from the avenger of blood until a fair hearing by the city elders.[1][2][6]

Interlinear Text

Verse 4
וְ/נָ֞ס 𐤅/𐤍𐤎 venas and he flees and he fled HC/Vqq3ms אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR אַחַ֣ת 𐤀𐤇𐤕 achat Eka (Bemba) one one HAcfsa מֵ/הֶ/עָרִ֣ים 𐤌/𐤄/𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤌 mehearim of the cities from the cities HR/Td/Ncfpa הָ/אֵ֗לֶּה 𐤄/𐤀𐤋𐤄 haeleh these these ones HTd/Pdxcp וְ/עָמַד֙ 𐤅/𐤏𐤌𐤃 veamad and he shall stand and he stood HC/Vqq3ms פֶּ֚תַח 𐤐𐤕𐤇 petach at the entrance opening-of HNcmsc שַׁ֣עַר 𐤔𐤏𐤓 shaar of the gate gateway of HNcmsc הָ/עִ֔יר 𐤄/𐤏𐤉𐤓 hair of the city the watchful settlement HTd/Ncfsa וְ/דִבֶּ֛ר 𐤅/𐤃𐤁𐤓 vediber and shall declare and he declared HC/Vpq3ms בְּ/אָזְנֵ֛י 𐤁/𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉 beazeney in the ears of in the ears of HR/Ncfdc זִקְנֵ֥י 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉 ziqeney the elders elders of HAampc הָ/עִֽיר 𐤄/𐤏𐤉𐤓 hair-2 of the city the watchful settlement HTd/Ncfsa הַ/הִ֖יא 𐤄/𐤄𐤉𐤀 hahi that she HTd/Pp3fs אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] object-marker HTo דְּבָרָ֑י/ו 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉/𐤅 devarayv his cause his spoken matters HNcmpc/Sp3ms וְ/אָסְפ֨וּ 𐤅/𐤀𐤎𐤐𐤅 veasefu and they shall gather and they gathered HC/Vqp3cp אֹת֤/וֹ 𐤀𐤕/𐤅 oto him him HTo/Sp3ms הָ/עִ֨ירָ/ה֙ 𐤄/𐤏𐤉𐤓/𐤄 hairah the city toward the city HTd/Ncfsa/Sd אֲלֵי/הֶ֔ם 𐤀𐤋𐤉/𐤄𐤌 aleyhem to them toward them HR/Sp3mp וְ/נָתְנוּ 𐤅/𐤍𐤕𐤍𐤅 venatenu and they shall give and they gave HC/Vqq3cp ל֥/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo to him HR/Sp3ms מָק֖וֹם 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 maqom a place standing-place HNcmsa וְ/יָשַׁ֥ב 𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤁 veyashav and he shall dwell and he settled HC/Vqq3ms עִמָּֽ/ם 𐤏𐤌/𐤌 imam with them with them HR/Sp3mp
Verse 5
וְ/כִ֨י 𐤅/𐤊𐤉 vekhi and if and because HC/C יִרְדֹּ֜ף 𐤉𐤓𐤃𐤐 yiredof he pursues he will pursue HVqi3ms גֹּאֵ֤ל 𐤂𐤀𐤋 goel avenger kinsman-redeeming one HVqrmsc הַ/דָּם֙ 𐤄/𐤃𐤌 hadam of the blood the blood HTd/Ncmsa אַֽחֲרָ֔י/ו 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉/𐤅 acharayv after him behind him HR/Sp3ms וְ/לֹֽא 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo and not and not HC/Tn יַסְגִּ֥רוּ 𐤉𐤎𐤂𐤓𐤅 yasegiru they shall deliver up they will hand over HVhi3mp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] object-marker HTo הָ/רֹצֵ֖חַ 𐤄/𐤓𐤑𐤇 harotsecha the manslayer the unlawful killer HTd/Vqrmsa בְּ/יָד֑/וֹ 𐤁/𐤉𐤃/𐤅 beyado into his hand in his hand HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms כִּ֤י 𐤊𐤉 ki because for/because HC בִ/בְלִי 𐤁/𐤁𐤋𐤉 viveli without without HR/Tn דַ֨עַת֙ 𐤃𐤏𐤕 daat knowledge knowledge-of HNcfsa הִכָּ֣ה 𐤄𐤊𐤄 hikah he struck he struck HVhp3ms אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 [direct object marker] object-marker HTo רֵעֵ֔/הוּ 𐤓𐤏/𐤄𐤅 reehu his neighbor his associate HNcmsc/Sp3ms וְ/לֹֽא 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo-2 and not and not HC/Tn שֹׂנֵ֥א 𐤔𐤍𐤀 sone hating the one hating HVqrmsa ה֛וּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu he he HPp3ms ל֖/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo him HR/Sp3ms מִ/תְּמ֥וֹל 𐤌/𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤋 mitemol from yesterday from previously HR/D שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם 𐤔𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤌 shileshom or the day before three-days-ago HNcmsa
Verse 6
וְ/יָשַׁ֣ב 𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤁 veyashav and he shall dwell and he settled HC/Vqq3ms בָּ/עִ֣יר 𐤁/𐤏𐤉𐤓 bair in the city in the settlement HRd/Ncfsa הַ/הִ֗יא 𐤄/𐤄𐤉𐤀 hahi that she HTd/Pp3fs עַד 𐤏𐤃 ad until up to HR עָמְד֞/וֹ 𐤏𐤌𐤃/𐤅 amedo he stands his standing HVqc/Sp3ms לִ/פְנֵ֤י 𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉 lifeney before to the face of HR/Ncbpc הָֽ/עֵדָה֙ 𐤄/𐤏𐤃𐤄 haedah the congregation the appointed assembly HTd/Ncfsa לַ/מִּשְׁפָּ֔ט 𐤋/𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 lamishepat for judgment for the judicial decision HRd/Ncmsa עַד 𐤏𐤃 ad-2 until up to HR מוֹת֙ 𐤌𐤅𐤕 mot death to die HNcmsc הַ/כֹּהֵ֣ן 𐤄/𐤊𐤄𐤍 hakohen the priest the officiating priest HTd/Ncmsa הַ/גָּד֔וֹל 𐤄/𐤂𐤃𐤅𐤋 hagadol the great the great one HTd/Aamsa אֲשֶׁ֥ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher which that-which HTr יִהְיֶ֖ה 𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 yiheyeh shall be he will come to be HVqi3ms בַּ/יָּמִ֣ים 𐤁/𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌 bayamim in the days in the days HRd/Ncmpa הָ/הֵ֑ם 𐤄/𐤄𐤌 hahem those they HTd/Pp3mp אָ֣ז 𐤀𐤆 az then at that time HD יָשׁ֣וּב 𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤁 yashuv shall return he will return HVqi3ms הָ/רוֹצֵ֗חַ 𐤄/𐤓𐤅𐤑𐤇 harotsecha the manslayer the unlawful killer HTd/Vqrmsa וּ/בָ֤א 𐤅/𐤁𐤀 uva and come and he came HC/Vqp3ms אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR עִיר/וֹ֙ 𐤏𐤉𐤓/𐤅 iro his city his settlement-city HNcfsc/Sp3ms וְ/אֶל 𐤅/𐤀𐤋 veel and to and toward HC/R בֵּית֔/וֹ 𐤁𐤉𐤕/𐤅 beyto his house his built-house HNcmsc/Sp3ms אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el-2 to toward HR הָ/עִ֖יר 𐤄/𐤏𐤉𐤓 hair the city the watchful settlement HTd/Ncfsa אֲשֶׁר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher-2 which that-which HTr נָ֥ס 𐤍𐤎 nas he fled he fled HVqp3ms מִ/שָּֽׁם 𐤌/𐤔𐤌 misham from there from there HR/D
Verse 7
Verse 8
וּ/מֵ/עֵ֜בֶר 𐤅/𐤌/𐤏𐤁𐤓 umeever and-beyond and from the far side HC/R/Ncmsa לְ/יַרְדֵּ֤ן 𐤋/𐤉𐤓𐤃𐤍 leyareden the-Jordan to Yarden the Descender to Yareden HR/Np יְרִיחוֹ֙ 𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤇𐤅 yericho Jericho Jericho Yericho HNp מִזְרָ֔חָ/ה 𐤌𐤆𐤓𐤇/𐤄 mizerachah eastward sunrise-ward HNcmsa/Sd נָתְנ֞וּ 𐤍𐤕𐤍𐤅 natenu they-appointed they gave HVqp3cp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct-object-marker] object-marker HTo בֶּ֧צֶר 𐤁𐤑𐤓 betser Bezer Fortified-Place Betser HNp בַּ/מִּדְבָּ֛ר 𐤁/𐤌𐤃𐤁𐤓 bamidebar in-the-wilderness in the grazing steppe HRd/Ncmsa בַּ/מִּישֹׁ֖ר 𐤁/𐤌𐤉𐤔𐤓 bamishor on-the-plain in the level plain HRd/Ncmsa מִ/מַּטֵּ֣ה 𐤌/𐤌𐤈𐤄 mimateh from-tribe-of from a staff-branch HR/Ncmsc רְאוּבֵ֑ן 𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤁𐤍 reuven Reuben See—a Son Reuven HNp וְ/אֶת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet and-[direct-object-marker] and object-marker HC/To רָאמֹ֤ת 𐤓𐤀𐤌𐤕 ramot Ramoth Heights Ramot HNp בַּ/גִּלְעָד֙ 𐤁/𐤂𐤋𐤏𐤃 bagilead in-Gilead in Heap-of-Witness in Gilead HRd/Np מִ/מַּטֵּה 𐤌/𐤌𐤈𐤄 mimateh-2 from-tribe-of from a staff-branch HR/Ncmsc גָ֔ד 𐤂𐤃 gad Gad Gad (Fortune) Gad HNp וְ/אֶת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet-2 and-[direct-object-marker] and object-marker HC/To גלון 𐤂𐤋𐤅𐤍 glvn Golan Golan Golan HNp גּוֹלָ֥ן 𐤂𐤅𐤋𐤍 golan Golan Golan Golan HNp בַּ/בָּשָׁ֖ן 𐤁/𐤁𐤔𐤍 babashan in-Bashan in Bashan in Bashan HRd/Np מִ/מַּטֵּ֥ה 𐤌/𐤌𐤈𐤄 mimateh-3 from-tribe-of from a staff-branch HR/Ncmsc מְנַשֶּֽׁה 𐤌𐤍𐤔𐤄 menasheh Manasseh Forgetfulness-Causer Menasheh HNp
Verse 9
אֵ֣לֶּה 𐤀𐤋𐤄 eleh These these ones HPdxcp הָיוּ֩ 𐤄𐤉𐤅 hayu were they were HVqp3cp עָרֵ֨י 𐤏𐤓𐤉 arey cities settlements of HNcfpc הַ/מּֽוּעָדָ֜ה 𐤄/𐤌𐤅𐤏𐤃𐤄 hamuadah of the refuge the appointed place HTd/Ncfsa לְ/כֹ֣ל 𐤋/𐤊𐤋 lekhol for all to the entirety of HR/Ncmsc בְּנֵ֣י 𐤁𐤍𐤉 beney Bene (Bemba) children of sons of HNcmpc יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 yiserael Israel El-Contends Yiserael HNp וְ/לַ/גֵּר֙ 𐤅/𐤋/𐤂𐤓 velager and for the stranger and to the resident sojourner HC/Rd/Ncmsa הַ/גָּ֣ר 𐤄/𐤂𐤓 hagar sojourning Female sojourner HTd/Vqrmsa בְּ/תוֹכָ֔/ם 𐤁/𐤕𐤅𐤊/𐤌 betokham among them in their midst HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp לָ/נ֣וּס 𐤋/𐤍𐤅𐤎 lanus to flee to flee HR/Vqc שָׁ֔מָּ/ה 𐤔𐤌/𐤄 shamah there to that place HD/Sd כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal any entirety of HNcmsc מַכֵּה 𐤌𐤊𐤄 makeh striker the one who causes a blow HVhrmsc נֶ֖פֶשׁ 𐤍𐤐𐤔 nefesh person breathing being HNcbsa בִּ/שְׁגָגָ֑ה 𐤁/𐤔𐤂𐤂𐤄 bishegagah unintentionally in unintentional error HR/Ncfsa וְ/לֹ֣א 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo and not and not HC/Tn יָמ֗וּת 𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤕 yamut he shall die he will die HVqi3ms בְּ/יַד֙ 𐤁/𐤉𐤃 beyad by the hand of by the hand of HR/Ncbsc גֹּאֵ֣ל 𐤂𐤀𐤋 goel avenger kinsman-redeeming one HVqrmsc הַ/דָּ֔ם 𐤄/𐤃𐤌 hadam of blood the blood HTd/Ncmsa עַד 𐤏𐤃 ad until up to HR עָמְד֖/וֹ 𐤏𐤌𐤃/𐤅 amedo he stands his standing HVqc/Sp3ms לִ/פְנֵ֥י 𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉 lifeney before to the face of HR/Ncbpc הָ/עֵדָֽה 𐤄/𐤏𐤃𐤄 haedah the congregation the appointed assembly HTd/Ncfsa