Numbers 35:16-34 ▼

16 But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he might die, and he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17 And if he struck him with a stone in the hand, so that he might die, and he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 Or if he struck him with an instrument of wood by hand, so that he might die, and he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19 The avenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meets him.

20 But if he wound him because of hatred, or shoot an arrow at him by lying in wait, that he might die, he is a murderer;

21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he might die, and he did die, the murderer shall surely be put to death; the avenger of the blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meets him.

22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him anything without lying in wait,

23 Or with any stone with which a man may die, without seeing him when he cast it upon him, and he died, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;

24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of the blood according to these judgments;

25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall send him to the city of refuge, to which he had fled; and he shall dwell in it until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

26 But if the slayer shall at any time go outside the bounds of the city of his refuge, to which he has fled;

27 And the avenger of the blood find him outside the bounds of the city of his refuge, and the avenger of the blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood;

28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return to the land of his possession.

29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all of your dwellings.

30 Whosoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but just one witness shall not testify against any person that he may be put to death.

31 Moreover you shall not accept a bribe for the life of a slayer, who is guilty of death; but he shall be surely put to death.

32 And you shall not take a bribe that he may flee to the city of refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the high priest.

33 So you shall not pollute the land in which you live; for blood defiles the land; and the land in which blood is shed cannot be cleansed except by the shedding of the blood of him who shed it.

34 Defile not therefore the land in which you dwell, and wherein I dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.