1When Jehovah thy God shall cut off the nations , whose land Jehovah thy God giveth thee , and thou succeedest them , and dwellest in their cities , and in their houses ; 2thou shalt set apart three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it . 3Thou shalt prepare thee the way , and divide the borders of thy land , which Jehovah thy God causeth thee to inherit , into three parts , that every manslayer may flee thither . 4And this is the case of the manslayer , that shall flee thither and live : whoso killeth his neighbor unawares , and hated him not in time past ; 5as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbor to hew wood , and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree , and the head slippeth from the helve , and lighteth upon his neighbor , so that he dieth ; he 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 , inasmuch as he hated him not in time past . 7Wherefore I command thee , saying, Thou shalt set apart three cities for thee . 8And if Jehovah thy God enlarge thy border , as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; 9if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it , which I command thee this day , to love Jehovah thy God , and to walk ever in his ways ; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee , besides these three : 10that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land , which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance , and so blood be upon thee .
The Law of Witnesses
11But if any man hate his neighbor , and lie in wait for him , and rise up against him , and smite him mortally so that he dieth , and he flee into one of these cities ; 12then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence , and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood , that he may die . 13Thine eye shall not pity him , but thou shalt put away the innocent blood from Israel , that it may go well with thee .
Boundaries and Inheritance
14Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor ’s landmark , which they of old time have set , in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit , in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it . 15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity , or for any sin , in any sin that he sinneth : at the mouth of two witnesses , or at the mouth of three witnesses , shall a matter be established . 16If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing, 17then both the men , between whom the controversy is , shall stand before Jehovah , before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days ; 18and the judges shall make diligent inquisition : and , behold , if the witness be a false witness , and have testified falsely against his brother; 19then shall ye do unto him , as he had thought to do unto his brother: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee . 20And those that remain shall hear , and fear , and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee . 21And thine eyes shall not pity ; life shall go for life , eye for eye , tooth for tooth , hand for hand , foot for foot .