Deuteronomy 19:6 · KJV
“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 19:6
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}
Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
Deuteronomy 19 — Context
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}
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.
8And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
Cross References
Numbers 35:12
And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
Joshua 20:5
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
Jeremiah 26:15-16
But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
2 Samuel 14:7
And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband {neither} name nor remainder upon the earth. {upon...: Heb. upon the face of the earth}
Deuteronomy 21:22
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: