Numbers 35:20-34 ▼

20 And if out of hatred he pushes him or hurls something at him while lying in wait, and he dies,

21 or in enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put to death the murderer when he meets him.

22 And if suddenly without enmity he pushes him or throws at him any object without lying in wait,

23 or with any stone with which a man could die by it, without seeing him, and throwing it at him so that he dies, and he is not an enemy to him or seeking his harm,

24 then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and between the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

25 And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where there he had fled; and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the oil of holiness.

26 But if the manslayer ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge, where there he fled,

27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of the city of his refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood,

28 because in his city of refuge he should have remained until the death of the high priest. And after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

29 And these shall be to you? a statute of judgment throughout your? generations in all your? dwellings.

30 Whoever kills a person, on the testimony of witnesses the murderer shall be put to death. And one witness shall not testify against a person to die.

31 And you? shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is is condemned to die; for he must surely be put to death.

32 And you? shall take no ransom for him who has fled to the city of his refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.

33 And you? shall not pollute the land that you? are in because the blood itself defiles the land; and for the land atonement cannot be made for the blood that is shed on it, except if by the blood of him who shed it.

34 You shall not defile the land that you? are dwelling in, in the midst of which I dwell. For I, YHWH, dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel.”