Study Desk

Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say unto them, - When ye are passing over the Jordan unto the land of Canaan,

then shall ye find for you, convenient cities, cities of refuge, shall they be unto you, - and the manslayer, who hath slain a person, by mistake, shall flee thither.

So shall the cities serve you for places of refuge from the redeemer, - that the manslayer may not die, until he has stood before the assembly, for judgment,

And as touching the cities which ye shall give six cities of refuge, shall there be unto you.

Three of the cities, shall ye give, on this side the Jordan, and three of the cities, shall ye give in the land of Canaan, - cities of refuge, shall they be.

For the sons of Israel and for the sojourner. and for the settler in your midst, shall these six cities serve, as places of refuge, - that any one may flee thither who hath slain a person, by mistake.

If, then, with an instrument of iron, he smote him, and he died, a manslayer, he is, - a manslayer, shall surely die.

Or if with a stone thrown by hand, where-by one might die, he smote him and he died, a manslayer, he is, - the man-slayer, shall surely die,

Or, if with hand-weapon of wood, wherewith one might die, he smote him and he died a manslayer, he is, - the manslayer shall surely die.

The blood-redeemer, he, shall put to death the man-slayer, - when he lighteth upon him, he, shall put him to death.

Or if with hate, he shall thrust at him, or hurl at him designedly, and he have died,

or if with enmity, he hath smitten him with his band and he is dead, then shall he that dealt the blow, be surely put to death. a manslayer, he is - the blood-redeemer shall put to death the man-slayer, when he lighteth upon him.

But if suddenly, without enmity, he shall thrust him, or hurl upon him any missile, without design;

Or with any stone whereby one might die without seeing him, and it fall upon him, and he dieth; he, not being at enmity with him, nor seeking to harm him,

then shall the assembly judge, between him that smote and the blood-redeemer, - according to these regulations;

and the assembly shall rescue the manslayer out of the hand of the blood-redeemer, and the assembly shall restore him unto his city of refuge whither he had fled, - and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who hath been anointed with the hallowing oil.

But if the man-slayer, go out, of the bounds of his city of refuge, whereinto he hath fled;

and the blood-redeemer, find him, outside the bounds of his city of refuge, then may the blood-redeemer slay the slayer, without being guilty of blood;

for in his city of refuge, should he have remained, until the death of the high priest, - and, after the death of the high priest, might he have returned into the land which he doth possess.

So shall these serve you as a regulative statute unto your generations, - wheresoever ye may dwell.

Whosoever taketh away life, at the mouth of witnesses, shall, the slayer be slain, - but, one witness, shall not testify against a person, to put him to death.

And ye shall accept no ransom for the life of him that slayeth, if he have unlawfully caused death, - but he, must surely be put to death.

And ye shall accept no ransom for him that hath fled to his city of refuge, if he should return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.

So shall ye not pollute the land wherein ye are, for blood, doth pollute the land, and for the land, no propitiatory-covering can be made, as touching blood, that is shed therein, save with the blood of him that shed it;

thou must not then make unclean the land wherein, ye, are dwelling, in the midst of which, I, have my habitation; for, I, - Yahweh, am making my habitation in the midst of the sons of Israel.