20:4a

When someone flees to one of these cities: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The person who has killed someone should run to one of these towns.
-or-
Anyone who kills someone ⌊accidentally⌋ can escape to one of these towns.

20:4b

stands at the entrance of the city gate: The entrance of the city gate was an open area near the town entrance. The town leaders gathered there to decide about cases between people that needed to be settled. It may be helpful to include this implicit information when translating this part of the verse. For example,

He should stand at the entrance to the town gate ⌊where the elders judge cases⌋ .
-or-
There he will stand at the entrance to the town ⌊where the leaders hold court⌋ .

20:4c

and states his case before its elders: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as states his case before its elders is more literally in Hebrew “he will speak his words in the ears of the elders of that town.” The term elders refers to the leaders of the town.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

He should state his case to the elders of that town.
-or-
He must tell the town leaders what he did.

20:4d

they are to bring him into the city: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they are to bring him into the city is more literally “and they will gather him to the town, to themselves.” It means that the elders will allow him to enter the town.

and give him a place: The clause give him a place indicates that the elders would find a place where he could live.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Then the elders will allow him to come into the town, and they will give him a place to live there.
-or-
The town leaders will bring him into the town and give him a place to stay.

20:4e

to live among them: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

and he will stay ⌊in that town⌋ with them
-or-
and he will live among them

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