Joshua 20:3 Meaning and Explanation
“That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The cities protect anyone who kills accidentally, shielding them from the avenger of blood.
What Does Joshua 20:3 Mean?
The law carefully distinguishes the one who kills 'unawares and unwittingly' from a murderer. Israel knew the custom of the avenger of blood, a kinsman who pursued the one responsible for a relative's death. Into that world God places a safeguard so that an accident does not become an endless cycle of bloodshed.
Here mercy and justice meet. The refuge does not excuse the loss of life, yet it refuses to let grief turn into vengeance against the innocent. For every reader who has done unintended harm, this verse whispers that God has made a place to flee, a shelter from condemnation. It foreshadows the greater refuge to come, where the burdened soul finds safety in Christ.
Joshua 20:3 in the Original Language
goel (גֹּאֵל), 'avenger' -- the kinsman-redeemer, here the relative who pursues the one who shed blood.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 20:3
What does Joshua 20:3 mean?
The cities protect anyone who kills accidentally, shielding them from the avenger of blood.