Deuteronomy 19:6

Easy To Read Version

But if the city is too far away, he might not be able to run there fast enough. A close relative [123] of the person he killed might run after him and catch him before he reaches the city. The close relative might be very angry and kill the man. But the man did not deserve death. He did not hate the person he killed.

Cross References

2 Samuel 14:7

Now the whole family is against me. They said to me, ‘Bring us the son who killed his brother and we will kill him. Why? Because he killed his brother.’ My son is like the last spark of a fire. If they kill my son, then that fire will burn out and be finished. He is the only son left alive to get his father’s property. So my {dead} husband’s property will go to someone else and his name will be removed from the land.”

Numbers 35:12

That person will be safe from anyone from the dead man’s family that wants to get even. That person will be safe until he is judged in court.

Deuteronomy 19:5

Here is an example: A man goes into the forest with another person to cut wood. The man swings his axe to cut down a tree, but the head of the axe separates from the handle. The axe head hits the other person and kills him. The man who swung the axe may then run to one of those three cities and be safe.

Deuteronomy 19:7

{The cities must be close to everyone.} That is why I command you to choose three special cities.

Deuteronomy 21:22

“A person might be guilty of a sin that must be punished by death. After he is killed, people might hang his body on a tree.

Joshua 20:5

But the man who is chasing that person might follow him to that city. If this happens, the leaders of the city must not give him up. They must protect the person who came to them for safety because he killed a person by accident. He was not angry and did not plan to kill the person. It was something that just happened.