Cities of Refuge

(Numbers 35:6-34; Deuteronomy 4:41-43; Joshua 20:1-9)

1When Jehovah thy God hath cut off the nations whose land Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and thou hast dispossessed them, and dwellest in their cities and in their houses, 2thou shalt separate three cities for thyself in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess. 3Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the territory of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, so that every slayer may flee thither.

4And this is the case of the slayer who shall flee thither that he may live: he that smiteth his neighbour unwittingly, whom he hated not previously; 5as when he 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 iron slippeth from the handle, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; such an one shall flee unto one of these cities, and live; 6lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, since he hated him not previously. 7Therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thyself.

8And if Jehovah thy God enlarge thy border, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers 9(if thou keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk in his ways continually), then shalt thou add three cities more for thyself to these three, 10that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and blood come not upon thee.

11But if a man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and he flee into one of these cities, 12then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13Thine eye shall not spare him; and thou shalt put away innocent blood from Israel, that it may be well with thee.

14Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have fixed in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess.

The Testimony of Witnesses

(Matthew 18:15-20)

15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established. 16If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of an offence; 17then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days; 18and the judges shall make thorough inquiry; and if the witness be a false witness, and he have testified falsely against his brother, 19then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother; and thou shalt put evil away from thy midst. 20And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in thy midst. 21And thine eye shall not spare: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.