Neville Goddard on Joshua 20:4-5 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Joshua 20 in context

Scripture Focus

4And 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.

5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.

Joshua 20:4-5

Biblical Context

The passage describes a person fleeing to a city of refuge, speaking to the elders; if the avenger of blood pursues him, the city must protect him because the act was unwitting and not hateful.

Neville's Inner Vision

To the attentive self, Joshua 20:4-5 reveals a sanctuary not of stone but of consciousness. The fleeing man is your heated impulse or careless habit that would strike unless gently redirected. The elders are the inner I AM, the discernment that opens the gate and offers a dwelling, not punishment. When the avenger of blood—your memory of consequences—comes near, you do not surrender to fear; you remember that the act arose unwittingly and without hate. Mercy arises as inner recognition that you are more than a single deed and that you can rest in the present state of awareness. In this inner refuge, justice is not punitive but harmonizing: your past action is acknowledged, understood, and integrated into your higher self. The slayer becomes a teacher, guiding your future choices toward compassion and prudence. Thus the text invites you to dwell within the I AM, where the mind shelters every impulse until it is rightly understood and transformed.

Practice This Now

Close your eyes and imagine you are standing at the gate of your inner city. Speak to your inner elders and accept their shelter; feel the avenger of memory fade as you affirm, I am protected here.