Joshua Chapter 20
So God was like to Joshua,
The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
You gotta tell the Israel squad to create some chill zones, those cities of refuge, just like I told you through Moses, no cap.
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
If someone messes up and takes someone out by accident, they can bounce to these spots for protection; it’s their vibe check against the blood avenger.
That the slayer that killeth {any} person unawares {and} unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
When they jet to one of those cities, they gotta chill at the gate and drop their story to the elders, who will let them in and give them a spot to hang.
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.
If the blood avenger rolls up on them, they can’t hand over the slayer, for real, ’cause they didn’t mean to do the deed and weren’t on bad terms before.
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
They’ll vibe in that city until they face the squad for judgment and until the high priest checks out; then the slayer can head back home, periodt.
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.
They established Kedesh in Galilee on Mount Naphtali, Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, aka Hebron, in the hills of Judah.
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which {is} Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. {appointed: Heb. sanctified}
Across the Jordan near Jericho, they set up Bezer in the wilderness, Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan in Bashan, all from the tribes, bet.
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
These were the spots for all the Israelites and their homies, so if someone accidentally takes a life, they can dip to safety and not get caught by the avenger until they face the squad.
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.