Joshua 20:5
If the avenger of blood pursues them, the city must not hand over the one who committed the killing, because they killed their neighbor unintentionally and without prior hostility.
Additional Resources
Other Translations
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
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.
KJV1611 – Modern English
And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand because he struck his neighbor unintentionally and did not hate him beforehand.
King James Version 1611 (Original)
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.
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
And if the avenger{H1350} of blood{H1818} pursue{H7291} after{H310} him, then they shall not deliver{H5462} up the manslayer{H7523} into his hand;{H3027} because he smote{H5221} his neighbor{H7453} unawares,{H1097} and hated{H8130} him not beforetime.{H8543}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
And if the avenger{H1350}{(H8802)} of blood{H1818} pursue{H7291}{(H8799)} after{H310} him, then they shall not deliver{H5462}{(H8686)} the slayer{H7523}{(H8802)} up into his hand{H3027}; because he smote{H5221}{(H8689)} his neighbour{H7453} unwittingly{H1097}{H1847}, and hated{H8130}{(H8802)} him not beforetime{H8543}{H8032}.
Coverdale Bible (1535)
And yf the auenger of bloude folowe vpon him, they shall not delyuer the deedslayer in to his handes, for so moch as he hath slayne his neghboure vnawarres, and was not his enemye afore:
Geneva Bible (1560)
And if the auenger of blood pursue after him, they shall not deliuer the slaier into his hand because hee smote his neighbour ignorantly, neither hated he him before time:
Bishops' Bible (1568)
And if the auenger of blood folow after him, they shall not deliuer the slear into his hand: because he smote his friend ignorauntly, and hated him not before tyme.
Authorized King James Version (1611)
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.
Webster's Bible (1833)
If the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver up the manslayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unawares, and didn't hate him before.
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
`And when the redeemer of blood doth pursue after him, then they do not shut up the man-slayer into his hand, for without knowledge he hath smitten his neighbour, and is not hating him hitherto;
American Standard Version (1901)
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver up the manslayer into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unawares, and hated him not beforetime.
American Standard Version (1901)
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver up the manslayer into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unawares, and hated him not beforetime.
Bible in Basic English (1941)
And if the one who has the right of punishment comes after him, they are not to give the taker of life up to him; because he was the cause of his neighbour's death without designing it and not in hate.
World English Bible (2000)
If the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver up the manslayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, and didn't hate him before.
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation.
Referenced Verses
- Num 35:12 : 12 These cities shall serve as a refuge from the avenger of blood, so that the one who killed someone unintentionally may not be put to death until they stand trial before the congregation.
- Num 35:25 : 25 The assembly shall protect the one who caused the death from the avenger of blood and send them back to the city of refuge they fled to. They must remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Deut 19:3-64 verses88%
3 Prepare roads for yourself and divide your land into three regions, the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that anyone who kills someone may flee there.
4 Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live: whoever strikes his neighbor unintentionally, without prior malice,
5 for instance, when a man goes with his neighbor into the forest to cut wood and his hand swings the axe to cut the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his neighbor, and he dies—that man may flee to one of these cities and live.
6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in anger, overtake him because the way is long, and strike him fatally, even though the manslayer does not deserve death, since he had no prior hatred towards his neighbor.
- Josh 20:2-43 verses85%
2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: Appoint for yourselves the cities of refuge that I spoke about to you through Moses.
3 These cities are to be a place where someone who unintentionally kills another person without malice can flee. They will serve as a refuge from the avenger of blood.
4 The one who flees to one of these cities must stand at the entrance of the city gate and explain their case to the elders of that city. They should take the person into the city, provide a place for them to stay, and allow them to live among them.
- 83%
42 These were for anyone who accidentally killed a neighbor without prior hostility, so that they could flee to one of these cities and live.
- 82%
6 The person must stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may return to their own city and home, from which they fled.
- Deut 19:10-134 verses82%
10 This is to prevent the shedding of innocent blood within the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.
11 But if someone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, attacks him, and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and then flees to one of these cities,
12 the elders of his city shall send for him, take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to be put to death.
13 Do not pity him, but purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may go well with you.
- 82%
9 These were the appointed cities for all the Israelites and for the foreigners living among them, so that anyone who unintentionally killed another person could flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until they stood trial before the assembly.
- Num 35:15-2814 verses82%
15 These six cities will be a refuge for the Israelites, for the foreigner, and for the sojourner living among them, so that anyone who unintentionally kills another can flee there.
16 But if someone strikes another with an iron object and the person dies, they are a murderer, and the murderer shall be put to death.
17 If someone strikes another with a stone that is large enough to cause death and the person dies, they are a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
18 Or if someone strikes another with a wooden tool that could cause death, and the person dies, they are a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
19 The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when they encounter the murderer, the avenger is to put them to death.
20 If someone pushes another out of hatred or throws something at them with intent and the person dies,
21 or if in hostility someone strikes another with their hand and the person dies, the one who struck them must be put to death. They are a murderer. The avenger of blood is to execute the sentence when they meet the murderer.
22 But if suddenly, without hostility, someone pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally,
23 or if, without seeing them, they drop a stone on someone that could cause death, and the person dies, but there was no enmity or intentional harm between them,
24 then the assembly must judge between the one who caused the death and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.
25 The assembly shall protect the one who caused the death from the avenger of blood and send them back to the city of refuge they fled to. They must remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
26 But if the one who caused the death goes outside the boundaries of the city of refuge to which they fled,
27 and the avenger of blood finds the offender outside the city and kills them, the avenger shall not be guilty of bloodshed.
28 The one who caused the death must remain in the city of refuge until the high priest dies; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.
- Num 35:11-122 verses80%
11 you shall designate cities to serve as cities of refuge where someone who unintentionally kills another may flee.
12 These cities shall serve as a refuge from the avenger of blood, so that the one who killed someone unintentionally may not be put to death until they stand trial before the congregation.
- Exod 21:12-143 verses78%
12 Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death.
13 But if he did not intend to kill, and it was allowed by God to happen, then I will provide a place where he can flee.
14 However, if someone schemes and acts deliberately to kill his neighbor, you shall take him even from my altar to be put to death.
- Deut 21:1-22 verses74%
1 If someone is found dead in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess, lying in a field, and it is unknown who struck him,
2 then your elders and judges must come out and measure the distance to the surrounding cities.
- Num 35:30-323 verses73%
30 Anyone who kills another person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses; but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
31 You must not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; they must surely be put to death.
32 Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge, allowing them to return to live in the land before the death of the high priest.
- 72%
17 A man burdened with the guilt of bloodshed will flee to the pit; let no one support him.
- 71%
2 If the sun has risen on him, there is bloodguilt for his death. He must pay restitution; and if he owns nothing, he shall be sold for his theft.
- 71%
26 You shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like when a man rises against his neighbor and murders him.
- 70%
19 If anyone leaves the house, their death will be on their own head, and we will not be guilty. But if harm comes to anyone in your house, we will take the blame.
- 69%
19 you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you.
- Exod 21:18-192 verses69%
18 If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed,
19 if the injured man is able to get up and walk around outside with a staff, the one who struck him shall be acquitted. Nevertheless, he must pay for the time lost and ensure the injured man is completely healed.
- 69%
8 In all cases of dishonest dealings, whether involving an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything lost that someone claims to be theirs, both parties must present their cases before God. The one whom God condemns must pay back double to the other.
- 69%
7 and they shall declare, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.
- 69%
23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,
- 69%
6 therefore, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will make you a land of bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.
- 68%
9 do not yield to him or listen to him. Show no pity or compassion, and do not shield him.