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When the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations, whose lande the Lord thy God giueth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses:

Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.

Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and diuide the coasts of thy land (which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherit) into three parts, that euery slayer may flee thither.

And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither, that hee may liue: who so killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past,

As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor, to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut downe the tree, and the head slippeth from the helue, and lighteth vpon his neighbour that he die, he shall flee vnto one of those cities, and liue:

Lest the auenger of the blood pursue the slaier, while his heart is hot, and ouertake him, because the way is long, and slay him, whereas he was not worthy of death, in as much as hee hated him not in time past.

Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast (as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers) and giue thee all the lande which hee promised to giue vnto thy fathers:

(If thou shalt keepe all these commandements to doe them, which I command thee this day, to loue the Lord thy God, and to walke euer in his wayes) then shalt thou adde three cities moe for thee, beside these three:

That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be vpon thee.