And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled. (Joshua 20:6)
As the services for sin centered in the sanctuary and the priest, so, probably, the fugitive’s length of exile was made dependent upon circumstances connected with the ritual service. It was necessary to have some event of distinction to mark the termination of the asylum so that the avenger might know, beyond question, when his legal right to vengeance ceased.
Congregation.
Probably the congregation of his own city rather than that of the city of refuge (see Num. 35:24, 25). If found guilty, the slayer would be delivered up to the avenger of blood; but if he was found innocent of willful murder, the congregation would restore him to the city of refuge, where he would remain until the death of the high priest.