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.^(A)

¹⁷ “‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.^(A)

¹¹ But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor,^(A) 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.^(B) You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood,^(C) so that it may go well with you.

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.^(A)

³¹ “‘Do not accept a ransom^(B) 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,^(C) and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.

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.

Personal Injuries

¹² “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.^{(A) 13} However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place^(B) I will designate. ¹⁴ But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,^(C) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.^(D)

⁵ And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting.^(A) I will demand an accounting from every animal.^(B) And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.^(C)