Deuteronomy 19:1-9 ▼

1 When the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,

2 then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} is giving you to possess.

3 You are to build roads for yourselves (You are to survey the way) and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities.

4 Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him:

5 If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.

6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.

7 This is why I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.

8 And if the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them,

9 and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.