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Exodus 21:13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Exodus 21:13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 If it was not premeditated but came about by an act of God, then I will appoint for you a place to which the killer may flee.(A)
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Exodus 21:13
New International Version
Exodus 21:13
New International Version
13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place(A) I will designate.
Joshua 20:2-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Joshua 20:2-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 “Say to the Israelites: Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,(A) 3 so that anyone who kills a person without intent or by mistake may flee there; they shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 The slayer shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain the case to the elders of that city; then the fugitive shall be taken into the city and given a place and shall remain with them.(B) 5 And if the avenger of blood is in pursuit, they shall not give up the slayer because the neighbor was killed by mistake, there having been no enmity between them before.(C) 6 The slayer shall remain in that city until there is a trial before the congregation, until the death of the one who is high priest at the time; then the slayer may return home, to the town in which the deed was done.”(D)
7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.(E) 8 And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland, from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.(F) 9 These were the cities designated for all the Israelites and for the aliens residing among them, that anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there, so as not to die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until there was a trial before the congregation.(G)
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Joshua 20:2-9
New International Version
Joshua 20:2-9
New International Version
2 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally(A) may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.(B) 4 When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate(C) and state their case before the elders(D) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. 5 If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. 6 They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly(E) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”
7 So they set apart Kedesh(F) in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem(G) in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba(H) (that is, Hebron(I)) in the hill country of Judah.(J) 8 East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer(K) in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead(L) in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan(M) in the tribe of Manasseh. 9 Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally(N) could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.(O)
1 Samuel 24:18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Samuel 24:18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
18 Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands.(A)
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1 Samuel 24:18
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1 Samuel 24:18
New International Version
18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered(A) me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
1 Samuel 24:10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Samuel 24:10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
10 This very day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you into my hand in the cave, and some urged me to kill you, but I spared[a] you. I said, ‘I will not raise my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’
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- 24.10 Gk Syr Tg: Heb it (my eye) spared
1 Samuel 24:10
New International Version
1 Samuel 24:10
New International Version
10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared(A) you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’
1 Samuel 24:4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Samuel 24:4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 The men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” Then David went and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak.(A)
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1 Samuel 24:4
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1 Samuel 24:4
New International Version
4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke(A) of when he said[a] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”(B) Then David crept up unnoticed and cut(C) off a corner of Saul’s robe.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 24:4 Or “Today the Lord is saying
Deuteronomy 19:1-13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Deuteronomy 19:1-13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Laws concerning the Cities of Refuge
19 “When the Lord your God has cut off the nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you and you have dispossessed them and settled in their towns and in their houses,(A) 2 you shall set apart three cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.(B) 3 You shall calculate the distances[a] and divide into three regions the land that the Lord your God gives you as a possession, so that any homicide can flee to one of them.
4 “Now this is the case of a homicide who might flee there and live, that is, someone who has killed another person unintentionally when the two had not been at enmity before.(C) 5 Suppose someone goes into the forest with another to cut wood, and when one of them swings the ax to cut down a tree, the head slips from the handle and strikes the other person, who then dies; the killer may flee to one of these cities and live. 6 But if the distance is too great, the avenger of blood in hot anger might pursue and overtake and put the killer to death, although a death sentence was not deserved, since the two had not been at enmity before.(D) 7 Therefore I command you: You shall set apart three cities.
8 “If the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he swore to your ancestors—and he will give you all the land that he promised your ancestors to give you, 9 provided you diligently observe this entire commandment that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God and walking always in his ways—then you shall add three more cities to these three,(E) 10 so that the blood of an innocent person may not be shed in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, thereby bringing bloodguilt upon you.(F)
11 “But if someone at enmity with another lies in wait and attacks and takes the life of that person and flees into one of these cities, 12 then the elders of the killer’s city shall send to have the culprit taken from there and handed over to the avenger of blood to be put to death. 13 Show no pity; you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may go well with you.(G)
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- 19.3 Or prepare roads to them
Deuteronomy 19:1-13
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Deuteronomy 19:1-13
New International Version
Cities of Refuge(A)
19 When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses,(B) 2 then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3 Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.
4 This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. 5 For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood(C) might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 7 This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.
8 If the Lord your God enlarges your territory,(D) as he promised(E) on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them, 9 because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the Lord your God and to walk always in obedience to him(F)—then you are to set aside three more cities. 10 Do this so that innocent blood(G) will not be shed in your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.(H)
11 But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor,(I) and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show no pity.(J) You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood,(K) so that it may go well with you.
Deuteronomy 4:41-43
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Deuteronomy 4:41-43
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan
41 Then Moses set apart on the east side of the Jordan three cities(A) 42 to which a homicide could flee, someone who unintentionally kills another person, the two not having been at enmity before; the homicide could flee to one of these cities and live: 43 Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.
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Deuteronomy 4:41-43
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Deuteronomy 4:41-43
New International Version
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.
Numbers 35:10-34
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Numbers 35:10-34
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, so that a slayer who kills a person without intent may flee there.(A) 12 The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, so that the slayer may not die until there is a trial before the congregation.(B)
13 “The cities that you designate shall be six cities of refuge for you: 14 you shall designate three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall serve as refuge for the Israelites, for the resident or transient alien among them, so that anyone who kills a person without intent may flee there.(C)
Concerning Murder and Blood Revenge
16 “But anyone who strikes another with an iron object, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.(D) 17 Or anyone who strikes another with a stone in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or anyone who strikes another with a weapon of wood in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood is the one who shall put the murderer to death; when they meet, the avenger of blood shall execute the sentence.(E) 20 Likewise, if someone pushes another from hatred or hurls something at another, lying in wait, and death ensues, 21 or in enmity strikes another with the hand, and death ensues, then the one who struck the blow shall be put to death; that person is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.
22 “But if someone pushes another suddenly without enmity or hurls any object without lying in wait,(F) 23 or, while handling any stone that could cause death, unintentionally[a] drops it on another and death ensues, though they were not enemies and no harm was intended, 24 then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these ordinances,(G) 25 and the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood. Then the congregation shall send the slayer back to the original city of refuge. The slayer shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the slayer shall at any time go outside the bounds of the original city of refuge 27 and is found by the avenger of blood outside the bounds of the city of refuge and is killed by the avenger, no bloodguilt shall be incurred. 28 For the slayer must remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the slayer may return to his property.
29 “These things shall be a statute and ordinance for you throughout your generations wherever you live.
30 “If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness.(H) 31 Moreover you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer who is subject to the death penalty; a murderer must be put to death. 32 Nor shall you accept ransom for one who has fled to a city of refuge, enabling the fugitive to return to live in the land before the death of the high priest. 33 You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.(I) 34 You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell, for I the Lord dwell among the Israelites.”(J)
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- 35.23 Heb without seeing
Numbers 35:10-34
New International Version
Numbers 35:10-34
New International Version
10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,(A) 11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone(B) accidentally(C) may flee. 12 They will be places of refuge from the avenger,(D) so that anyone accused of murder(E) may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.(F) 13 These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.(G) 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.
16 “‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.(H) 17 Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 18 Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood(I) shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death.(J) 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally(K) so that they die 21 or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death;(L) that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood(M) shall put the murderer to death when they meet.
22 “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally(N) 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(O) 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,(P) who was anointed(Q) with the holy oil.(R)
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.
29 “‘This is to have the force of law(S) for you throughout the generations to come,(T) wherever you live.(U)
30 “‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.(V)
31 “‘Do not accept a ransom(W) for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.
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.
33 “‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land,(X) and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 Do not defile the land(Y) where you live and where I dwell,(Z) for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’”
Micah 7:2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Micah 7:2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 The faithful have disappeared from the land,
and there is no one left who is upright;
they all lie in wait for blood,
and they hunt each other with nets.(A)
Isaiah 10:7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Isaiah 10:7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
7 But this is not what he intends,
nor does he have this in mind,
but it is in his heart to destroy
and to cut off nations not a few.(A)
Isaiah 10:7
New International Version
Isaiah 10:7
New International Version
7 But this is not what he intends,(A)
this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
to put an end to many nations.
2 Samuel 16:10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 Samuel 16:10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”(A)
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2 Samuel 16:10
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2 Samuel 16:10
New International Version
10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?(A) If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”(B)
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