The Cities of Refuge
Joshua 20
At the Lord's command Joshua sets apart cities of refuge on both sides of the Jordan where a person who kills another unintentionally may flee for protection until he stands trial before the congregation. Six such cities are named, three on each side of the river.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonNOW the Lord had spoken to Joshua, saying,
BrentonAnd the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,
GreekΚαὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος τῷ Ἰησοῖ, λέγων,
KJVThe LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
JPSAnd the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying:
2
ThomsonSpeak to the children of Israel and say, Give the cities of refuge which I ordered you by Moses,
BrentonSpeak to the children of Israel, saying, Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses.
Greekλάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, λέγων, δότε τὰς πόλεις τῶν φυγαδευτηρίων, ἃς εἶπα πρὸς ὑμᾶς διὰ Μωυσῆ.
KJVSpeak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
JPS’Speak to the children of Israel, saying: Assign you the cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you by the hand of Moses;
3
Thomsona refuge for the manslayer who hath killed a person unawares. And these cities shall be for you a refuge, that the slayer may not be put to death by the avenger of blood, until he stand before the congregation for trial;
BrentonEven a refuge to the slayer who has smitten a man unintentionally; and the cities shall be to you a refuge, and the slayer shall not be put to death by the avenger of blood, until he have stood before the congregation for judgment.
GreekΦυγαδευτήριον τῷ φονευτῇ τῷ πατάξαντι ψυχὴν ἀκουσίως· καὶ ἔσονται ὑμῖν αἱ πόλεις φυγαδευτήριον, καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανεῖται ὁ φονευτὴς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα, ἕως ἂν καταστῇ· ἐναντίον τῆς συναγωγῆς εἰς κρίσιν.
KJVAnd 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.
JPS—
7
Thomsonand he had set apart Kades, in Galilee, on mount Nephthaleim, and Sychem, on mount Ephraim, and the city Arbok, which is Chebron, on the mountain of Juda:
BrentonAnd Joshua separated Cades in Galilee in the mount Nephthali, and Sychem in the mount Ephraim, and the city of Arboc; this is Chebron, in the mountain of Juda.
GreekΚαὶ διέστειλε τὴν Κάδης ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Νεφθαλὶ, καὶ Συχὲμ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Ἐφραὶμ, καὶ τὴν πόλιν Ἀρβὸκ, αὕτη ἐστὶ Χεβρὼν, ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Ἰούδα.
KJVAnd they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
JPS—
8
ThomsonAnd on the bank of the Jordan they had given Bosor, in the wilderness, in the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, and Aremoth in Galaad, from the tribe of Gad, and Gaulon in Basanitis from the tribe of Manasses.
BrentonAnd beyond Jordan he appointed Bosor in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Ruben, and Aremoth in Galaad out of the tribe of Gad, and Gaulon in the country of Basan out of the tribe of Manasse.
GreekΚαὶ ἐν τῷ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου ἔδωκε Βοσὸρ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἀπὸ τῆς φυλῆς Ῥουβὴν, καὶ Ἀρημὼθ ἐν τῇ Γαλαὰδ ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Γὰδ, καὶ τὴν Γαυλὼν ἐν τῇ Βασανίτιδι ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Μανασσῆ.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the table-land 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.
9
ThomsonThese are the cities renowned among the children of Israel and the proselytes who dwell among them, for everyone who smiteth a person unawares to flee thither, that he may not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stand before the congregation for trial.
BrentonThese 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 judgment.
GreekΑὗται αἱ πόλεις αἱ ἐπίκλητοι τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ τῷ προσηλύτῳ τῷ προσκειμένῳ ἐν αὐτοῖς, καταφυγεῖν ἐκεῖ παντὶ παίοντι ψυχὴν ἀκουσίως, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνῃ ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα, ἕως ἄν καταστῇ ἔναντι τῆς συναγωγῆς εἰς κρίσιν.
KJVThese 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.
JPSThese were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person through error might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.