⁵ Suppose he goes with someone else^[a] to the forest to cut wood and when he raises the ax^[b] to cut the tree, the ax head flies loose^[c] from the handle and strikes^[d] his fellow worker^[e] so hard that he dies. The person responsible^[f] may then flee to one of these cities to save himself.^{[g] 6} Otherwise the blood avenger will chase after the killer in the heat of his anger, eventually overtake him,^[h] and kill him,^[i] though this is not a capital case^[j] since he did not hate him at the time of the accident. ⁷ Therefore, I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.