The Meaning of Joshua 20:4 Explained

Joshua 20:4

KJV: And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

YLT: When one hath fled unto one of these cities, and hath stood at the opening of the gate of the city, and hath spoken in the ears of the elders of that city his matter, then they have gathered him into the city unto them, and have given to him a place, and he hath dwelt with them.

Darby: And he shall flee unto one of those cities and stand at the entrance of the city-gate, and shall declare his matter in the ears of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

ASV: And he shall flee unto one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when he that doth flee  unto one  of those cities  shall stand  at the entering  of the gate  of the city,  and shall declare  his cause  in the ears  of the elders  of that city,  they shall take  him into the city  unto them, and give  him a place,  that he may dwell  among them. 

What does Joshua 20:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 20:1-9 - Cities Of Refuge
These arrangements carried out Numbers 35:9-34. Remember the distinction between deliberate murder and unintentional homicide. Only those who had committed the latter were eligible for refuge.
The fugitive told his story at the gate and was admitted provisionally, Joshua 20:4. His case was afterward investigated by the citizens or their delegates; and if his story were found correct, he might stay till the death of the high priest. This functionary was a type of our Lord; and thus the death of each high priest pre-signified that death by which captive souls are freed and the remembrance of sin made to cease.
The cities were placed so as to be within easy access from all parts of the country. See Proverbs 18:10; Hebrews 6:18. It is an urgent question for us all, Are we within the city, the walls and bulwarks of which are salvation? [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 20

1  God commands
7  and the children of Israel appoint the six cities of refuge

What do the individual words in Joshua 20:4 mean?

And when he flees to one of cities these and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city and declares in the hearing of the elders of city that - his case and they shall take him into the city as one of them and give him a place that he may dwell among them
וְנָ֞ס אֶל־ אַחַ֣ת ׀ מֵהֶעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה וְעָמַד֙ פֶּ֚תַח שַׁ֣עַר הָעִ֔יר וְדִבֶּ֛ר בְּאָזְנֵ֛י זִקְנֵ֥י־ הָעִֽיר הַהִ֖יא אֶת־ דְּבָרָ֑יו וְאָסְפ֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ הָעִ֙ירָה֙ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְנָתְנוּ־ ל֥וֹ מָק֖וֹם וְיָשַׁ֥ב עִמָּֽם

וְנָ֞ס  And  when  he  flees 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
אַחַ֣ת ׀  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מֵהֶעָרִ֣ים  of  cities 
Parse: Preposition-m, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הָאֵ֗לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וְעָמַד֙  and  stands 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
פֶּ֚תַח  at  the  entrance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
שַׁ֣עַר  of  the  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הָעִ֔יר  of  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וְדִבֶּ֛ר  and  declares 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
בְּאָזְנֵ֛י  in  the  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
זִקְנֵ֥י־  of  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
הָעִֽיר  of  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַהִ֖יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דְּבָרָ֑יו  his  case 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וְאָסְפ֨וּ  and  they  shall  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
הָעִ֙ירָה֙  into  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  as  one  of  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְנָתְנוּ־  and  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מָק֖וֹם  a  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
וְיָשַׁ֥ב  that  he  may  dwell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
עִמָּֽם  among  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.