¹³ However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place^(A) I will designate.

²⁸ “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death,^(A) and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. ²⁹ If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up^(B) and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. ³⁰ However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.^{(C) 31} This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. ³² If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels^[a](D) of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

¹¹ select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone^(A) accidentally^(B) may flee. ¹² They will be places of refuge from the avenger,^(C) so that anyone accused of murder^(D) may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.^{(E) 13} These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.^{(F) 14} Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

²² “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally^{(A) 23} or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, ²⁴ the assembly^(B) must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. ²⁵ The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest,^(C) who was anointed^(D) with the holy oil.^(E)

²⁶ “‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled ²⁷ and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. ²⁸ The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.

³² “‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

Cities of Refuge^(A)

⁴¹ Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, ⁴² to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally^(B) killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life. ⁴³ The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth^(C) in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.