1
When the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430] hath cut off[H3772] the nations[H1471], whose land[H776] the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430]giveth[H5414] thee, and thou succeedest[H3423] them, and dwellest[H3427] in their cities[H5892], and in their houses[H1004];
2
Thou shalt separate[H914]three[H7969]cities[H5892] for thee in the midst[H8432] of thy land[H776], which the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430]giveth[H5414] thee to possess[H3423] it.
3
Thou shalt prepare[H3559] thee a way[H1870], and divide the coasts[H1366] of thy land[H776], which the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430] giveth thee to inherit[H5157], into three parts[H8027], that every slayer[H7523] may flee[H5127] thither.
4
And this is the case[H1697] of the slayer[H7523], which shall flee[H5127] thither, that he may live[H2425]: Whoso killeth[H5221] his neighbour[H7453]ignorantly[H1097], whom he hated[H8130] not in time[H8543]past[H8032];
5
As when a man goeth[H935] into the wood[H3293] with his neighbour[H7453] to hew[H2404]wood[H6086], and his hand[H3027] fetcheth a stroke[H5080] with the axe[H1631] to cut down[H3772] the tree[H6086], and the head[H1270]slippeth[H5394] from the helve[H6086], and lighteth[H4672] upon his neighbour[H7453], that he die[H4191]; he shall flee[H5127] unto one[H259] of those cities[H5892], and live[H2425]:
6
Lest the avenger[H1350] of the blood[H1818]pursue[H7291] the slayer[H310], while[H3588] his heart[H3824] is hot[H3179], and overtake[H5381]him[H5315], because the way[H1870] is long[H7235], and slay[H5221]him[H5315]; whereas he was not worthy[H4941] of death[H4194], inasmuch as[H3588] he hated[H8130]him[H5315] not in time[H8543]past[H8032].
7
Wherefore I command[H6680] thee, saying[H559], Thou shalt separate[H914]three[H7969]cities[H5892] for thee.
8
And if the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430]enlarge[H7337] thy coast[H1366], as he hath sworn[H7650] unto thy fathers[H1], and give[H5414] thee all the land[H776] which he promised[H1696] to give[H5414] unto thy fathers[H1];
9
If thou shalt keep[H8104] all these commandments[H4687] to do[H6213] them, which I command[H6680] thee this day[H3117], to love[H157] the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430], and to walk[H3212]ever[H3117] in his ways[H1870]; then shalt thou add[H3254]three[H7969]cities[H5892] more for thee, beside these three[H7969]:
10
That innocent[H5355]blood[H1818] be not shed[H8210]in[H7130] thy land[H776], which the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430]giveth[H5414] thee for an inheritance[H5159], and so blood[H1818] be upon thee.
11
But if any man[H376]hate[H8130] his neighbour[H7453], and lie in wait[H693] for him, and rise up[H6965] against him, and smite[H5221] him mortally[H5315] that he die[H4191], and fleeth[H5127] into one[H259] of these[H411]cities[H5892]:
12
Then the elders[H2205] of his city[H5892] shall send[H7971] and fetch[H3947] him thence, and deliver[H5414] him into the hand[H3027] of the avenger[H1350] of blood[H1818], that he may die[H4191].
13
Thine eye[H5869] shall not pity[H2347] him, but thou shalt put away[H1197] the guilt of innocent[H5355]blood[H1818] from Israel[H3478], that it may go well[H2895] with thee.
14
Thou shalt not remove[H5253] thy neighbour's landmark[H1366], which they of old time[H7223] have set[H1379] in thine inheritance[H5159], which thou shalt inherit[H5157] in the land[H776] that the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430]giveth[H5414] thee to possess[H3423] it.
15One[H259]witness[H5707] shall not rise up[H6965] against a man[H376] for any iniquity[H5771], or for any sin[H2403], in any sin[H2399] that he sinneth[H2398]: at the mouth[H6310] of two[H8147]witnesses[H5707], or at the mouth[H6310] of three[H7969]witnesses[H5707], shall the matter[H1697] be established[H6965].
16
If a false[H2555]witness[H5707] rise up[H6965] against any man[H376] to testify[H6030] against him that which is wrong[H5627];
17
Then both[H8147] the men[H582], between whom the controversy[H7379] is, shall stand[H5975]before[H6440] the LORD[H3068], before[H6440] the priests[H3548] and the judges[H8199], which shall be in those days[H3117];
18
And the judges[H8199] shall make diligent[H3190]inquisition[H1875]: and, behold, if the witness[H5707] be a false[H8267]witness[H5707], and hath testified[H6030]falsely[H8267] against his brother[H251];
19
Then shall ye do[H6213] unto him, as he had thought[H2161] to have done[H6213] unto his brother[H251]: so shalt thou put[H1197] the evil[H7451]away[H1197] from among[H7130] you.
20
And those which remain[H7604] shall hear[H8085], and fear[H3372], and shall henceforth[H3254]commit[H6213] no more any[H1697] such evil[H7451]among[H7130] you.
21
And thine eye[H5869] shall not pity[H2347]; but life[H5315] shall go for life[H5315], eye[H5869] for eye[H5869], tooth[H8127] for tooth[H8127], hand[H3027] for hand[H3027], foot[H7272] for foot[H7272].