1 And the Lord spoke to Josue, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them:
2 Appoint cities of refuge, a of which I spoke to you by the hand of Moses:
3 That whosoever shall kill a person unawares may flee to them: and may escape the wrath of the kinsman, who is the avenger of blood:
4 And when he shall flee to one of these cities: he shall stand before the gate of the city, and shall speak to the ancients of that city, such things as prove him innocent: and so shall they receive him, and give him a place to dwell in.
5 And when the avenger of blood shall pursue him, they shall not deliver him into his hands, because he slew his neighbour unawares, and is not proved to have been his enemy two or three days before.
6 And he shall dwell in that city, till he stand before judgment to give an account of his fact, and till the death of the high priest, who shall be at that time: then shall the manslayer return, and go into his own city and house from whence he fled.
7 And they appointed Cedes in Galilee of mount Nephtali, and Sichem in mount Ephraim, and Cariath-Arbe, the same is Hebron in the mountain of Juda.
8 And beyond the Jordan to the east of Jericho, they appointed Bosor, which is upon the plain of the wilderness of the tribe of Ruben, and Ramoth in Galaad of the tribe of Cad, and Gaulon in Basan of the tribe of Manasses.
9 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.
Versículos relacionados com Joshua, 20:
Joshua chapter 20 deals with the institution of the cities of refuge in Israel, places where a person who had killed someone without intention could take refuge and have protection against the victim's family revenge. These cities should be strategically located so that they could easily be achieved by anyone looking for protection. Following are five verses related to the theme of the selected chapters of other books of the Bible:
Deuteronomy 4:41-42: "Then Moses separated three cities east of the Jordan River, where he could escape those who killed someone without intention. Whoever killed someone without intention and fled to one of these cities would live." This verse talks about choosing the cities of refuge for Moses before his death, as a measure of justice and protection for those who killed unintentionally.
Numbers 35:6: "The six cities you give will be cities of refuge, where you can escape those who kill someone without intention." This verse talks about the number of cities of refuge that should be established in Israel and the importance of having them available throughout the territory.
Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and our fortress, aid always present in adversity." This verse talks about the protection and refuge God offers in difficult times and can be applied to the cities of refuge in Israel as a symbol of divine protection.
Proverbs 18:10: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to her and are safe." This verse also talks about the protection and security offered by the name of God and can be applied to the institution of the cities of refuge in Israel.
Isaiah 25:4: "For you have a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their affliction, a shelter against the storm and a shelter against the heat." This verse talks about God as a refuge for those who suffer and can be applied to the institution of the cities of refuge in Israel as a reflection of God's compassion for those who need protection.
Fejezetek: