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If, for example, he goes into the forest with his neighbour to cut timber, and his hand swings the axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes his neighbour so that he dies, that person may flee to one of these cities and live. Otherwise, the avenger of blood in the heat of his anger[a] might pursue the one who committed manslaughter, overtake him because the distance is great, and strike him dead. Yet he did not deserve to die,[b] since he did not previously hate his neighbour. This is why I am commanding you to set apart three cities for yourselves.

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Footnotes

  1. 19:6 Lit heart
  2. 19:6 Lit did not have a judgement of death