1When the Lord thy God shall root out the nations, whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou shalt possess them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses,
2Thou shalt separate three cities for thee, in the midst of thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the coasts of the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither.
4This also is the cause wherefore the manslayer shall flee thither, and live: who so killeth his neighbor ignorantly, and hated him not in time passed:
5As he that goeth unto the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand striketh with the axe to cut down the tree, if the head slip from the helve, and hit his neighbor that he dieth, the same shall flee unto one of the cities, and live,
6Lest the avenger of the blood follow after the manslayer while his heart is chafed, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him, although he be not worthy of death, because he hated him not in time passed.
7Wherefore I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt appoint out three cities for thee.
8And when the Lord thy God enlargeth thy coasts (as he hath sworn unto thy fathers) and giveth thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers.
9(If thou keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day: to wit, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways forever) then thou shalt add three cities more for thee besides those three,
10That no innocent blood be shed within thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, lest blood be upon thee.
11But if a man hate his neighbor, and lay wait for him, and rise against him, and smite any man that he die, and flee unto any of these cities,
12Then the Elders of his city shall send and fet him thence, and deliver him to the hands of the avenger of the blood, that he may die.
13Thine eye shall not spare him, but thou shalt put away the cry of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
14Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor’s mark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, that thou shalt inherit in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15One witness shall not rise against a man for any trespass, or for any sin, or for any fault that he offendeth in, but at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be stablished.
16If a false witness rise up against a man to accuse him of trespass,
17Then both the men which strive together, shall stand before the Lord, even before the Priests and the Judges, which shall be in those days.
18And the Judges shall make diligent inquisition: and if the witness be found false, and hath given false witness against his brother,
19Then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to do unto his brother: so thou shalt take evil away forth of the midst of thee.
20And the rest shall hear this, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickedness among you.
21Therefore thine eye shall have no compassion, but life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.