Verse 11

you shall designate cities to serve as cities of refuge where someone who unintentionally kills another may flee.

Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Exod 21:13 : 13 But if he did not intend to kill, and it was allowed by God to happen, then I will provide a place where he can flee.
  • Josh 20:2 : 2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: Appoint for yourselves the cities of refuge that I spoke about to you through Moses.
  • Num 35:6 : 6 The cities that you give to the Levites shall include six cities of refuge for someone who kills another unintentionally to flee to; in addition, give them forty-two more cities.
  • Num 35:22-25 : 22 But if suddenly, without hostility, someone pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally, 23 or if, without seeing them, they drop a stone on someone that could cause death, and the person dies, but there was no enmity or intentional harm between them, 24 then the assembly must judge between the one who caused the death and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances. 25 The assembly shall protect the one who caused the death from the avenger of blood and send them back to the city of refuge they fled to. They must remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
  • Deut 4:42 : 42 These were for anyone who accidentally killed a neighbor without prior hostility, so that they could flee to one of these cities and live.
  • Deut 19:1-9 : 1 When the LORD your God eliminates the nations whose land He is giving you, and you take possession of them and settle in their cities and houses, 2 you are to set apart three cities in the midst of the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. 3 Prepare roads for yourself and divide your land into three regions, the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that anyone who kills someone may flee there. 4 Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live: whoever strikes his neighbor unintentionally, without prior malice, 5 for instance, when a man goes with his neighbor into the forest to cut wood and his hand swings the axe to cut the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his neighbor, and he dies—that man may flee to one of these cities and live. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in anger, overtake him because the way is long, and strike him fatally, even though the manslayer does not deserve death, since he had no prior hatred towards his neighbor. 7 This is why I am commanding you: Set apart three cities for yourselves. 8 And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your ancestors, and gives you the entire land He promised to give them, 9 and you carefully keep this entire commandment I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to walk in His ways all your days, then you shall add three more cities to these three. 10 This is to prevent the shedding of innocent blood within the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. 11 But if someone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, attacks him, and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the elders of his city shall send for him, take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to be put to death. 13 Do not pity him, but purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may go well with you.