Deuteronomy 19:6

Holy Bible: 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 of the person he killed might run after him and catch him before he reaches the city. The relative might kill the man in anger, even though he did not deserve to die because he did not mean to harm anyone.

Cross References

Numbers 35:12

That person will be safe from anyone from the dead man’s family who wants to punish the killer until that person is judged in court.

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, because he killed his brother.’ My son is like the last spark of a fire. If they kill my son, 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.”

Joshua 20:5

If someone chases you and follows you to that city, the leaders of the city must not give you up. They must protect you because you came to them for safety after killing someone by accident—you were not angry and did not plan to kill the person. It was something that just happened.

Deuteronomy 21:22

“A man might be guilty of a sin that must be punished by death. People might kill him and hang his body on a tree.

Deuteronomy 19:5

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

Deuteronomy 19:7

That is why I commanded you to choose three special cities.