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

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.

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

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 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.

“ Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses.Anyone who kills another person accidentally and unintentionally can run to one of these cities; they will be places of refuge from relatives seeking revenge for the person who was killed.“ Upon reaching one of these cities, the one who caused the death will appear before the elders at the city gate and present his case. They must allow him to enter the city and give him a place to live among them.If the relatives of the victim come to avenge the killing, the leaders must not release the slayer to them, for he killed the other person unintentionally and without previous hostility.But the slayer must stay in that city and be tried by the local assembly, which will render a judgment. And he must continue to live in that city until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the accident. After that, he is free to return to his own home in the town from which he fled.”The following cities were designated as cities of refuge: Kedesh of Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Kiriath arba( that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah.On the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, the following cities were designated: Bezer, in the wilderness plain of the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the land of the tribe of Manasseh.These cities were set apart for all the Israelites as well as the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed another person could take refuge in one of these cities. In this way, they could escape being killed in revenge prior to standing trial before the local assembly.

Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it.

Then Moses set apart three cities of refuge east of the Jordan River.Anyone who killed another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, could flee there to live in safety.These were the cities: Bezer on the wilderness plateau for the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad; Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.

“ Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him.“ Today the Lord is telling you,‘ I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.

This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said,‘ I will never harm the king— he is the Lord’s anointed one.’

“ When the Lord your God destroys the nations whose land he is giving you, you will take over their land and settle in their towns and homes.Then you must set apart three cities of refuge in the land the Lord your God is giving you.Survey the territory, and divide the land the Lord your God is giving you into three districts, with one of these cities in each district. Then anyone who has killed someone can flee to one of the cities of refuge for safety.“ If someone kills another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, the slayer may flee to any of these cities to live in safety.For example, suppose someone goes into the forest with a neighbor to cut wood. And suppose one of them swings an ax to chop down a tree, and the ax head flies off the handle, killing the other person. In such cases, the slayer may flee to one of the cities of refuge to live in safety.“ If the distance to the nearest city of refuge is too far, an enraged avenger might be able to chase down and kill the person who caused the death. Then the slayer would die unfairly, since he had never shown hostility toward the person who died.That is why I am commanding you to set aside three cities of refuge.“ And if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he swore to your ancestors, and gives you all the land he promised them,you must designate three additional cities of refuge.( He will give you this land if you are careful to obey all the commands I have given you— if you always love the Lord your God and walk in his ways.)That way you will prevent the death of innocent people in the land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. You will not be held responsible for the death of innocent people.“ But suppose someone is hostile toward a neighbor and deliberately ambushes and murders him and then flees to one of the cities of refuge.In that case, the elders of the murderer’s hometown must send agents to the city of refuge to bring him back and hand him over to the dead person’s avenger to be put to death.Do not feel sorry for that murderer! Purge from Israel the guilt of murdering innocent people; then all will go well with you.

“ Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.“ When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,designate cities of refuge to which people can flee if they have killed someone accidentally.These cities will be places of protection from a dead person’s relatives who want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be put to death before being tried by the community.Designate six cities of refuge for yourselves,three on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west in the land of Canaan.These cities are for the protection of Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may flee there for safety.“ But if someone strikes and kills another person with a piece of iron, it is murder, and the murderer must be executed.Or if someone with a stone in his hand strikes and kills another person, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death.Or if someone strikes and kills another person with a wooden object, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death.The victim’s nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer to death.So if someone hates another person and waits in ambush, then pushes him or throws something at him and he dies, it is murder.Or if someone hates another person and hits him with a fist and he dies, it is murder. In such cases, the avenger must put the murderer to death when they meet.“ But suppose someone pushes another person without having shown previous hostility, or throws something that unintentionally hits another person,or accidentally drops a huge stone on someone, though they were not enemies, and the person dies.If this should happen, the community must follow these regulations in making a judgment between the slayer and the avenger, the victim’s nearest relative:The community must protect the slayer from the avenger and must escort the slayer back to live in the city of refuge to which he fled. There he must remain until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the sacred oil.“ But if the slayer ever leaves the limits of the city of refuge,and the avenger finds him outside the city and kills him, it will not be considered murder.The slayer should have stayed inside the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the slayer may return to his own property.These are legal requirements for you to observe from generation to generation, wherever you may live.“ All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.Also, you must never accept a ransom payment for the life of someone judged guilty of murder and subject to execution; murderers must always be put to death.And never accept a ransom payment from someone who has fled to a city of refuge, allowing a slayer to return to his property before the death of the high priest.This will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land. And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder.You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel.”

But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool; his mind does not work that way. His plan is simply to destroy, to cut down nation after nation.

The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth. They are all murderers, setting traps even for their own brothers.

“ No!” the king said.“ Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”