Deuteronomy 19:1–10

When athe Lord thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou †succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses; 2 bThou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. 3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. 4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: cWhoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not †in time past; 5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the †head slippeth from the †helve, and †lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: 6 Lest dthe avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and †slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not †in time past. 7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee. 8 eAnd if the Lord thy God eenlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and fgive thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; 9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; gthen shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three: 10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.