Josoa 20

1 Ary Jehovah niteny tamin’ i Josoa ka nanao hoe:

Then the LORD said to Joshua,

2 Lazao amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely hoe: Fidio ny tanàna fandosirana izay nasaiko nolazain’ i Mosesy taminareo,

“Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,

3 handosiran’ izay nahafaty olona tsy nahy; dia ho fandosirana ho anareo izany mba tsy ho azon’ ny mpamaly rà

so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

4 Ary raha misy mandositra ho ao amin’ ny anankiray amin’ ireo tanàna ireo ka mijanona eo anoloan’ ny vavahady ary mandahatra ny teniny eo anatrehan’ ny loholona amin’ izany tanàna izany, dia hampidiriny ho ao an-tanàna izy ka homeny toerana, mba hitoetra ao aminy.

When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.

5 Ary raha manenjika azy ny mpamaly rà, dia tsy hanolotra ilay nahafaty olona ho eo an-tànany izy, satria nahafaty tsy nahy ny namany, fa tsy dia nankahala azy teo aloha.

Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice.

6 Dia hitoetra ao amin’ izany tanàna izany izy mandra-pisehony eo anatrehan’ ny fiangonana hotsaraina, sy mandra-pahafatin’ izay mpisoronabe amin’ izany andro izany; dia hiverina ilay nahafaty olona ka hody any an-tanànany sy any an-tranony, dia any amin’ ny tanàna izay nialany fony izy nandositra.

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.”

7 Dia nanokana an’ i Kadesy any Galilia any amin’ ny tany havoan’ i Naftaly izy sy Sekema any amin’ ny tany havoan’ i Efraima ary Kiriat-arba (Hebrona izany) any amin’ ny tany havoan’ i Joda.

So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.

8 Ary dia nifidy an’ i Bezera any an-efitra amin’ ny tany lemaka izay an’ ny firenen’ i Robena izy, ary Ramota izay any Gileada, an’ ny firenen’ i Gada, ary Golana any Basana, izay an’ ny firenen’ i Manase, any an-dafy atsinanan’ i Jordana, tandrifin’ i Jeriko.

And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 Ireo no tanàna voafidy ho an’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely rehetra sy ny vahiny eo aminy handosiran’ izay rehetra nahafaty olona tsy nahy, mba tsy ho fatin’ ny tanan’ ny mpamaly rà izy mandra-pisehony eo anatrehan’ ny fiangonana.

These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.