Numbers 35:9-29

9Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10“1Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 112then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your 3cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has 4killed any person 5unintentionally may flee there. 126The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for 7trial. 13The cities which you are to give shall be your six cities of refuge. 14You 8shall give three cities across the Jordan and three cities 9in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge. 15These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who 10kills a person 11unintentionally may flee there.

16‘12But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer 13shall surely be put to death. 18Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. 2014If he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him 15lying in wait and as a result he died, 21or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22‘16But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something at him without lying in wait, 23or with any 17deadly object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury, 24then 18the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances. 25The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee, 27and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he will not be guilty of blood 28because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return to the land of his possession.

29‘These things shall be for a 19statutory ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.