Suppose they did not do it on purpose. Suppose I let it happen. Then they can escape to a place I will choose.

人若不是埋伏着杀人，乃是神交在他手中，我就设下一个地方，他可以往那里逃跑。

他若不是出于预谋，而是上帝交在他手中，我就设立一个地方，让他可以逃到那里。

他若不是出于预谋，而是神交在他手中，我就设立一个地方，让他可以逃到那里。

倘若不是故意杀人，而是上帝许可那人死在他手里，他就可以逃往我指定的地方。

人若不是蓄意杀人，而是神交在他手中的，我就给你设立一个地方，他可以逃到那里去。

人若不是埋伏着殺人，乃是神交在他手中，我就設下一個地方，他可以往那裏逃跑。

他若不是出於預謀，而是上帝交在他手中，我就設立一個地方，讓他可以逃到那裏。

他若不是出於預謀，而是神交在他手中，我就設立一個地方，讓他可以逃到那裏。

倘若不是故意殺人，而是上帝許可那人死在他手裡，他就可以逃往我指定的地方。

人若不是蓄意殺人，而是神交在他手中的，我就給你設立一個地方，他可以逃到那裡去。

若不是懷着惡意殺人，而是上帝交在他手中，我就給你設下一個地方，他可以往那裏逃跑。

若非謀殺、乃上帝付於其手、我必為之定可避之區、

如殺人非出有意、乃上帝假手於爾、我必示爾以可避之處。

若非有心殺人、乃天主偶付於其手、我必設一處、使可逃避、

However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.

But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.

But if it was simply an accident permitted by God, I will appoint a place of refuge where the slayer can run for safety.

But if he did not intend any harm, and yet God allowed it to happen, I will appoint a place for you where he may flee.

Yet if he did not lie in wait for him, but God caused him to fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee.

However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

But if he didn’t intend any harm, and yet God caused it to happen by his hand, I will appoint a place for you where he may flee.

And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver[ him] into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.

“ Tell the Israelites to choose the cities to go to for safety, just as I directed you through Moses.Anyone who kills a person by accident can run there for safety. So can anyone who kills a person without meaning to. The one charged with murder will be kept safe from the nearest male relative of the person killed.Suppose those who are charged with murder run for safety to one of these cities. Then they must stand in the entrance of the city gate. They must state their case in front of the elders of that city. The elders must let them come into their city. The elders must provide a place for them to live in their city.Suppose the nearest male relative of the person killed chases the one charged with murder. Then the elders must not hand them over to that relative. That’s because that person didn’t mean to kill their neighbor. They didn’t make evil plans to do it.They must stay in that city until their case has been brought to the community court. They must stay there until the high priest serving at that time dies. Then they can go back to their own home. They can return to the town they ran away from.”So the Israelites set apart Kedesh in Galilee. It’s in the hill country of Naphtali. They set apart Shechem. It’s in the hill country of Ephraim. They set apart Kiriath Arba. It’s in the hill country of Judah. Kiriath Arba is also called Hebron.On the east side of the Jordan River near Jericho they chose Bezer. It’s in the desert on the high plains. It’s in the territory of the tribe of Reuben. They chose Ramoth in Gilead. It’s in the territory of the tribe of Gad. They chose Golan in the land of Bashan. It’s in the territory of the tribe of Manasseh.Suppose you kill someone by accident. Or another Israelite does it. Or an outsider who lives among you does it. Then any of you can run for safety to one of these cities that have been chosen. There you won’t be killed by the nearest male relative of the person killed by accident. First your case must be brought to the community court.

You have just now told me about the good things you did to me. The Lord handed me over to you. But you didn’t kill me.

Then Moses set apart three cities east of the Jordan River.Suppose someone killed a person they didn’t hate and without meaning to do it. That person could run to one of those cities and stay alive.Here are the names of the cities. Bezer was for the people of Reuben. It was in the high plains in the desert. Ramoth was for the people of Gad. It was in Gilead. Golan was for the people of Manasseh. It was in Bashan.

David’s men said,“ This is the day the Lord told you about. He said to you,‘ I will hand your enemy over to you. Then you can deal with him as you want to.’ ” So David came up close to Saul without being seen. He cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some of my men begged me to kill you. But I didn’t. I said,‘ I will never lay my hand on my master. He is the Lord’ s anointed king.’

The Lord your God will destroy the nations whose land he is giving you. You will drive them out. And you will make your homes in their towns and their houses.When you do, set apart for yourselves three cities in the land. It’s the land the Lord your God is giving you to take as your own.Figure out the distances and then separate the land into three parts. Then anyone who kills another person can run to one of these cities for safety. They are in the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own.Here is the rule about a person who kills someone. That person can run to one of those cities for safety. The rule applies to anyone who kills a neighbor they didn’t hate and didn’t mean to kill.For example, suppose a man goes into a forest with his neighbor to cut wood. When he swings his ax to chop down a tree, the head of the ax flies off. And it hits his neighbor and kills him. Then that man can run to one of those cities and save his life.If he doesn’t go to one of those cities, the dead man’s nearest male relative might become very angry. He might chase the man. If the city is too far away, he might catch him and kill him. But the man running to the city isn’t worthy of death, because he didn’t hate his neighbor.That’s why I command you to set apart for yourselves three cities.The Lord your God will increase the size of your territory. He promised your people of long ago that he would do it. He will give you the whole land he promised them.But he’ll do it only if you are careful to obey all the laws I’m commanding you today. I command you to love the Lord your God. You must always live as he wants you to live. Suppose you are careful to obey, and the Lord your God gives you more land. Then you must set apart three more cities.Do it to protect those not guilty of murder. Then you won’t spill their blood in your land. It’s the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own.But suppose a man hates his neighbor. So he hides and waits for him. Then he attacks him and kills him. And he runs to one of those cities for safety.If he does, the elders of his own town must send for him. He must be brought back from the city. He must be handed over to the dead man’s nearest male relative. Then the relative will kill him.Don’t feel sorry for him. He has killed someone who hadn’t done anything wrong. Crimes like that must be punished in Israel. Then things will go well with you.

“ Speak to the Israelites. Tell them,‘ You will soon go across the Jordan River. You will enter Canaan.When you do, choose the cities to go to for safety. People who have killed someone by accident can run to one of those cities.They will be places of safety for them. People will be safe there from those who want to kill them. Then anyone charged with murder will not die before their case has been brought to the community court.Six towns will be the cities you can go to for safety.Three will be east of the Jordan River. The other three will be in Canaan.Those six towns will be places where the Israelites can go for safety. Outsiders living in Israel can also go to them for safety. So anyone who has killed another person by accident can run there.“‘ Suppose a person uses an iron object to hit and kill someone. Then that person is a murderer and must be put to death.Or suppose a person is holding a stone that could kill. And they use it to hit and kill someone. Then that person is a murderer and must be put to death.Or suppose a person is holding a wooden object that could kill. And they use it to hit and kill someone. Then that person is a murderer and must be put to death.The dead person’s nearest male relative must kill the murderer. When he meets up with him, he must kill the murderer.What if a person makes evil plans against someone else? And what if that person pushes them so that they die? Or what if that person throws something at them so that they die?Or what if that person hits another person with a fist so that the other dies? Then the person who does any of those things must be put to death. That person is a murderer. The dead person’s nearest male relative must kill the murderer. When he meets up with him, he must kill the murderer.“‘ But what if a person suddenly pushes someone else without being angry? Or what if that person throws something at someone else without meaning to?Or what if that person does not see the other person and drops a stone on them that kills them? He was not the dead person’s enemy. He did not mean to harm them.Then the court must decide between the person who did the act and the nearest male relative of the one who was killed. Here are the rules the court must follow.The court must provide a safe place for the person accused of murder. It must keep the one accused of murder safe from those who want to kill them. The court must send the accused person back to the city they ran to for safety. The accused person must stay there until the high priest dies. That priest has been anointed with holy oil.“‘ But suppose the accused person goes outside that city.And suppose the dead person’s nearest male relative finds them outside the city. Then the relative can kill the accused person. The relative will not be guilty of murder.The accused person must stay in that city until the high priest dies. Only then may they return home.“‘ This is what the law requires of you for all time to come. It will apply to you no matter where you live.“‘ Suppose a person kills someone. Then that person must be put to death as a murderer. But do it only when there are witnesses who can tell what happened. Do not put anyone to death if only one witness tells what happened.“‘ Do not accept payment for a murderer’s life. A murderer deserves to die. They must certainly be put to death.“‘ Do not accept payment for anyone who has run to a city for safety. Do not let them buy their freedom to return home. They must not go back and live on their own land before the high priest dies.“‘ Do not pollute the land where you are. Murder pollutes the land. Only one thing can pay to remove the pollution in the land where murder has been committed. The blood of the one who spilled another’s blood must be spilled.So do not make the land where you live“ unclean,” because I live there too. I, the Lord, live among the Israelites.’ ”

But that is not what the king of Assyria plans. It is not what he has in mind. His purpose is to destroy many nations. His purpose is to put an end to them.

Faithful people have disappeared from the land. Those who are honest are gone. Everyone hides and waits to spill the blood of others. They use nets to try and trap one another.

But the king said,“ You and Joab are sons of Zeruiah. What does this have to do with you? Maybe the Lord said to him,‘ Curse David.’ If he did, who can ask him,‘ Why are you doing this?’ ”