Deuteronomy 19:1-7

1When Jehovah thy 1God hath cut off the nations whose land Jehovah thy 2God giveth thee, and thou hast dispossessed them, and dwellest in their cities and in their houses,

2thou shalt separate three cities for thyself in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy 3God giveth thee to possess.

3Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the territory of thy land, which Jehovah thy 4God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, so that every slayer may flee thither.

4And this is the case of the slayer who shall flee thither that he may live: he that smiteth his neighbour unwittingly, whom he hated not previously;

5as when he goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron slippeth from the handle, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; such an one shall flee unto one of these cities, and live;

6lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, since he hated him not previously.

7Therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thyself.