Deuteronomy 19:5 · KJV
“As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: {head: Heb. iron} {helve: Heb. wood} {lighteth...: Heb. findeth}”
— Deuteronomy 19:5
And this {is} the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; {in...: Heb. from yesterday the third day}
Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he {was} not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. {slay...: Heb. smite him in life} {in...: Heb. from yesterday the third day}
Deuteronomy 19 — Context
Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
4And this {is} the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; {in...: Heb. from yesterday the third day}
5As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: {head: Heb. iron} {helve: Heb. wood} {lighteth...: Heb. findeth}
6Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he {was} not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. {slay...: Heb. smite him in life} {in...: Heb. from yesterday the third day}
7Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
Cross References
Isaiah 32:2
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. {great: Heb. heavy}
Proverbs 27:12
A prudent {man} foreseeth the evil, {and} hideth himself; {but} the simple pass on, {and} are punished.
2 Kings 6:5-7
But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. {axe head: Heb. iron}
Numbers 35:25
And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.