The Wilderness Years

Speake vnto the children of Israel, and say vnto them, When ye be come ouer Iorden into the land of Canaan,

Ye shall appoint you cities, to bee cities of refuge for you, that the slayer, which slayeth any person vnwares, may flee thither.

And these cities shalbe for you a refuge from the auenger, that he which killeth, die not, vntill he stand before the Congregation in iudgement.

And of the cities which ye shall giue, sixe cities shall ye haue for refuge.

Ye shall appoint three on this side Iorden, and ye shall appoint three cities in the lande of Canaan which shalbe cities of refuge.

These six cities shalbe a refuge for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for him that dwelleth among you, that euery one which killeth any person vnwares, may flee thither.

And if one smite another with an instrument of yron that hee die, hee is a murtherer, and the murtherer shall die the death.

Also if hee smite him by casting a stone, wherewith hee may be slaine, and he die, hee is a murtherer, and the murtherer shall die the death.

Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may be slaine, if he die, he is a murtherer, and the murtherer shall die the death.

The reuenger of the blood himselfe shall slay the murtherer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

But if hee thrust him of hate, or hurle at him by laying of wait, that he die,

Or smite him through enimitie with his hand, that he die, he that smote him shall die ye death: for hee is a murtherer: the reuenger of the blood shall slay the murtherer when he meeteth him.

But if he pusshed him vnaduisedly, and not of hatred, or cast vpon him any thing, without laying of waite,

Or any stone (whereby he might be slaine) and sawe him not, or caused it to fall vpon him, and he die, and was not his enemie, neither sought him any harme,

Then the Congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer and the auenger of blood according to these lawes.

And the Congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hande of the auenger of blood, and the Congregation shall restore him vnto the citie of his refuge, whither hee was fled: and hee shall abide there vnto the death of the hie Priest, which is anointed with the holy oyle.

But if the slayer come without the borders of the citie of his refuge, whither he was fled,

And the reuenger of blood finde him without the borders of the citie of his refuge, and the reueger of blood slay ye murtherer, he shalbe giltles,

Because he should haue remained in the citie of his refuge, vntill the death of the hie Priest: and after the death of the hie Priest, the slayer shall returne vnto the land of his possession.

So these thinges shall be a lawe of iudgement vnto you, throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Whosoeuer killeth any person, the Iudge shall slay the murtherer, through witnesses: but one witnesse shall not testifie against a person to cause him to die.

Moreouer ye shall take no recompense for the life of the murtherer, which is worthy to die: but he shalbe put to death.

Also ye shall take no recompense for him that is fled to the citie of his refuge, that he should come againe, and dwell in the lande, before the death of the hie Priest.

So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye shall dwell: for blood defileth the land: and the land cannot be clensed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

Defile not therefore the lande which yee shall inhabite, For I dwell in the middes thereof: for I the Lord dwel among the children of Israel.