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Thursday, April 16th, 2026
the Second Week after Easter
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Easy-to-Read Version

Joshua 20:6

You should stay in that city until the court has judged you and until the high priest dies. Then you may go back to your hometown."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Avenger of Blood;   Communion;   Homicide;   Refuge;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Blood-Avenger;   Levites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - City of refuge;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Land (of Israel);   Motives;   Murder;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Blood;   Judges;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Avenger;   Blood;   Cities of Refuge;   Court Systems;   High Priest;   Joshua, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joshua;   Refuge, Cities of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - High Priest;   Refuge, Cities of;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Refuge;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Assassination;   Cruel;   Goel;   Joshua (2);   Joshua, Book of;   Priest, High;   Refuge, Cities of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Blood-revenge;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He 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 one who committed manslaughter may return home to his own city from which he fled.”
Hebrew Names Version
He shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the Kohen Gadol that shall be in those days: then shall the manslayer return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from whence he fled.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
The killer will stay in that city until he stands before the congregation for the trial, until the death of the one who is the high priest in those days. Then the killer will return to his city and to his house, to the city from which he fled.'"
English Standard Version
And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.'"
New Century Version
The killer must stay in the city until a court comes to a decision and until the high priest dies. Then he may go back home to the town from which he ran away."
New English Translation
He must remain in that city until his case is decided by the assembly and the high priest dies. Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped."
Amplified Bible
'He shall live in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment [and if acquitted of murder he must stay there], until the death of the one who is the high priest in those days. Then the offender (manslayer) shall return to his own city and his own house from which he fled.'"
New American Standard Bible
'And he shall remain in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then he shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.'"
Geneva Bible (1587)
But hee shall dwell in that citie vntill hee stande before the Congregation in iudgement, or vntill the death of the hie Priest that shall be in those daies: then shall the slaier returne, and come vnto his owne citie, and vnto his owne house, euen vnto the citie from whence he fled.
Legacy Standard Bible
And he shall live in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return and come to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.'"
Contemporary English Version
The citizens of that Safe Town must come together and hold a trial. They may decide that the victim was killed accidentally and that the accused is not guilty of murder. Everyone found not guilty must still live in the Safe Town until the high priest dies. Then they can go back to their own towns and their homes that they had to leave behind.
Complete Jewish Bible
So he will live in that city until he stands trial before the community, until the death of the cohen hagadol who is in office at the time. When that time comes, the killer may return to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.'"
Darby Translation
And he shall dwell in that city, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment, 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.
George Lamsa Translation
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 the slayer shall return, and come to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.
Good News Translation
You may stay in the city until you have received a public trial and until the death of the man who is then the High Priest. Then you may go back home to your own town, from which you had run away."
Literal Translation
And he shall live in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest who is in those days. Then the manslayer shall return and come to his city, and to his house, to the city from where hefled.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but he shall dwell in ye cite, tyll he stonde before the congregacion in iudgment, vntyll the hye prest dye, which shall be at that tyme. Then shall the deedsleyer returne, and go vnto his awne cite, and vnto his house to the cite, from whence he was fled.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And he is to go on living in that town till he has to come before the meeting of the people to be judged; (till the death of him who is high priest at that time:) then the taker of life may come back to his town and to his house, to the town from which he had gone in flight.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he shall dwell in the sayd citie vntyl he stande before the congregation in iudgement, or vntyll the death of the hye priest that shall be in those dayes: for then shall the slear returne, and come vnto his owne citie, and vnto his owne house, and vnto the citie from whence he fled.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 may the manslayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.'
King James Version (1611)
And hee shall dwell in that citie, vntill he stand before the Congregation for iudgement, and vntill the death of the high Priest that shall bee in those dayes: then shall the slayer returne, and come vnto his owne city, and vnto his owne house, vnto the citie from whence he fled.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
He 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."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he schal dwelle in that citee, til he stonde bifor the doom, and yelde cause of his dede. And he that killide a man, dwelle `in that citee, til the grete preest die, which is in that tyme; thanne the mansleere schal turne ayen, and he schal entre in to his citee and hows, `fro which he fledde.
Young's Literal Translation
and he hath dwelt in that city till his standing before the company for judgment, till the death of the chief priest who is in those days -- then doth the man-slayer turn back and hath come unto his city, and unto his house, unto the city whence he fled.'
Update Bible Version
And he shall dwell in that city, until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then the manslayer shall return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from where he fled.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he shall dwell in that city, until he shall 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 to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from whence he fled.
World English Bible
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 to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from whence he fled.
New King James Version
And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled."'
New Living Translation
But the slayer must stay in that city and be tried by the local assembly, which will render a judgment. And he must continue to live in that city until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the accident. After that, he is free to return to his own home in the town from which he fled."
New Life Bible
He will live in that city until he has been tried in front of the people. And he will live there until the death of the one who is the head religious leader at the time. Then the one who killed the person may return to his own city and his own house, to the city he ran away from.'"
New Revised Standard
The slayer shall remain in that city until there is a trial before the congregation, until the death of the one who is high priest at the time: then the slayer may return home, to the town in which the deed was done.'"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
so shall he remain in that city, until he standeth before the assembly, for judgment, until the death of the high-priest who shall be in those days, - then, shall the manslayer return, and enter into his own city, and into his own house, within the city from whence he fled.
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.
Revised Standard Version
And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time: then the slayer may go again to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.'"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.'"

Contextual Overview

1 Then the Lord said to Joshua: 2 "Through Moses, I told you to choose some cities to be cities of safety. 3 Anyone who kills someone accidentally can go to a city of safety to hide from the relatives who want to kill him. 4 "If you accidentally kill someone and you run away to one of those cities, you must stop at the entrance of the city and tell the leaders of the people what happened. Then the leaders can allow you to enter the city. They will give you a place to live among them. 5 If someone chases you and follows you to that city, the leaders of the city must not give you up. They must protect you because you came to them for safety after killing someone by accident—you were not angry and did not plan to kill the person. It was something that just happened. 6 You should stay in that city until the court has judged you and until the high priest dies. Then you may go back to your hometown."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

until: Numbers 35:12, Numbers 35:24, Numbers 35:25, Hebrews 9:26

Reciprocal: Joshua 20:9 - until he stood

Cross-References

Genesis 3:3
But there is one tree we must not eat from. God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die.'"
Genesis 20:6
Then God said to Abimelech in a dream, "Yes, I know that you are innocent and that you did not know what you were doing. I saved you. I did not allow you to sin against me. I was the one who did not allow you to sleep with her.
Genesis 20:7
So give Abraham his wife again. He is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don't give Sarah back to him, I promise that you will die. And all your family will die with you."
Genesis 26:11
So Abimelech gave a warning to all the people. He said, "No one must hurt this man or this woman. If anyone hurts them, they will be killed."
Genesis 31:7
But he cheated me. He has changed my pay ten times. But during all this time, God protected me from all of Laban's tricks.
Genesis 35:5
Then Jacob and his sons left that place. The people in the surrounding cities wanted to follow and kill them, but God filled them with such great fear that they did not go after them.
Genesis 39:9
My master has made me almost equal to him in his house. I cannot sleep with his wife! That is wrong! It is a sin against God."
Exodus 34:24
"When you go into your land, I will force your enemies out of that land. I will expand your borders—you will get more and more land. You will go before the Lord your God three times each year. At that time no one will try to take your land from you.
Leviticus 6:2
"You are guilty of sin against the Lord when you do any of these things: when you lie about what happened to something you were taking care of for someone else; when you lie about a deposit you received; when you steal something; when you cheat someone;
1 Samuel 25:26
The Lord has kept you from killing innocent people. As surely as the Lord lives and you as well, may your enemies and anyone else who wants to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he shall dwell in that city until he shall stand before the congregation for judgment,.... That is, until his cause was heard in the court of judicature in his own city, or in any other to which the avenger of blood should appeal: see Numbers 35:24; who if they found him guilty of death, they put him to death; but if only guilty of accidental manslaughter, then they delivered him up to his city of refuge for safety, where he was to abide

until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days; see

Numbers 35:25;

then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled; and live with his family in the enjoyment of his possessions and estates, honours, and privileges belonging to him, as before; see Numbers 35:28.


 
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