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as when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand [a]swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the [b]handle and [c]strikes his friend so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live; lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer when his heart is [d]angry, and overtake him, because the way is long, and [e]strike down his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously. Therefore, I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall set apart three cities for yourself.’

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 19:5 Lit is thrust with
  2. Deuteronomy 19:5 Lit wood
  3. Deuteronomy 19:5 Lit finds
  4. Deuteronomy 19:6 Or hot
  5. Deuteronomy 19:6 Lit strike him in the soul

For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. Otherwise, the avenger of blood(A) might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

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