Deuteronomy 19:4

God's Word

A person who unintentionally kills someone he never hated in the past may run to one of these cities to save his life.

Cross References

Genesis 31:2

He also noticed that Laban did not appear as friendly to him as before.

2 Samuel 14:11

She said, “Your Majesty, please pray to the Lord your God in order to keep an avenger from doing more harm by destroying my son.” “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” he said, “not a hair on your son’s head will fall to the ground.”

1 Chronicles 11:2

“Even in the past when Saul ruled, you were the one who led Israel on its campaigns to war. The Lord your God has said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, the leader of my people Israel.’ ”

Isaiah 30:33

Topheth was prepared long ago. It was made ready for the king. It was made deep and wide and piled high with plenty of burning logs. The Lord’s breath will be like a flood of burning sulfur, setting it on fire.

Numbers 35:12

These cities will be places of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death. So anyone accused of murder will not have to die until he has had a trial in front of the community.

Numbers 35:9

The Lord said to Moses,

Deuteronomy 19:3

Provide a route to each of these cities and divide the land that the Lord your God is giving you into three regions. Whoever kills someone may run to one of these cities.

Deuteronomy 19:5

Suppose two people go into the woods to cut wood. As one of them swings the ax to cut down a tree, the head flies off the handle, hits, and kills the other person. The one who accidentally killed the other person may run to one of these cities and save his life.

Deuteronomy 19:6

Otherwise, in a rage the relative who has the authority to avenge the death will pursue him. If the place is too far away, the relative may catch up with him and take his life even though he didn’t deserve the death penalty, because in the past he never hated the person he killed.

Deuteronomy 4:42

Those who unintentionally killed someone whom they had never hated could flee to one of these cities and save their lives.

Joshua 3:4

However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don’t come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before.”