< Joshua 20 >
1 And the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,
上主訓示說:「
2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Assign the cities of refuge, [of] which I spoke to you by Moses.
你應告訴以色列子民說:他們應向照我藉梅瑟向你們所提及的,指定一些避難城,
3 [Even] 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.
好使無心誤殺人的能逃到那裏去。這些城市作為你們逃避血仇者的地方
4 And 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.
那誤殺人的,只要逃往這些城中的一座,立於城門口,將自己的事,報告給這城的長老聽;長老就該將他接入城中,給他地方,讓他往在他們中間。
5 And 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.
如果報血仇者追來了,長老不可將他交於報血仇者手中,因為他殺人原是出於無心,素無仇恨。
6 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 judgment.
殺人者應往在這城內,直到他在會眾前出庭受審,直到現任的大司祭去世之後,方可回到本城本家,即由之逃出城市。」
以色列人於是在納斐塔里山區,指定了加里肋亞的刻德士;在厄弗辣因山區指定了舍根;在猶大山區指定了克黎雅特阿爾耳巴,即赫貝龍;
在約旦河東岸,耶利哥東面,在曠野高原裏,勒烏本支派內指定了貝責爾;在加得支派內,指定了基肋阿得的辣摩特;在默納協支派內,指定了巴商的哥藍。
以上是為所有的以色列人和寄他們中間的外方人指定的城市,使凡誤殺人的,能逃往那裏去,在他未出庭受會眾審判以前,不致死在報血仇者的手裏。