"Now thisis the caseof the manslayerwhomay fleethereand live:whenhe killshis friendunintentionally,not hatinghim previously--
Jacobsawthe attitudeof Laban,and behold,it was not [friendly] towardhim as formerly.
Then she said,"Pleaselet the kingrememberthe LORDyour God,[so that] the avengerof bloodwill not continueto destroy,otherwisethey will destroymy son."And he said,"As the LORDlives,not one hairof your sonshall fallto the ground."
"In timespast,evenwhen Saulwas king,you [were] the one who ledout and broughtin Israel;and the LORDyour Godsaidto you, 'You shall shepherdMy peopleIsrael,and you shall be princeoverMy peopleIsrael.'"
For Tophethhas longbeen ready,Indeed,it has been preparedfor the king.He has madeit deepand large,A pyreof firewith plentyof wood;The breathof the LORD,like a torrentof brimstone,setsit afire.
The citiesshall be to you as a refugefrom the avenger,so that the manslayerwill not dieuntilhe standsbeforethe congregationfor trial.
Then the LORDspoketo Moses,saying,
"You shall preparethe roadsfor yourself, and divideinto threepartsthe territoryof your landwhichthe LORDyour Godwill giveyou as a possession,so that anymanslayermay fleethere.
as when[a man] goesinto the forestwith his friendto cutwood,and his handswingsthe axeto cutdownthe tree,and the iron[head] slipsoffthe handleand strikeshis friendso that he dies--he may fleeto oneof thesecitiesand live;
otherwisethe avengerof bloodmight pursuethe manslayerin the heatof his anger,and overtakehim, becausethe wayis long,and takehis life,though he was not deservingof death,sincehe had not hatedhim previously.
that a manslayermight fleethere,whounintentionallyslewhis neighborwithouthaving enmitytoward him in timepast;and by fleeingto oneof thesecitieshe might live:
"However,there shall be betweenyou and it a distanceof about 2,000cubitsby measure.Do not comenearit, that you may knowthe wayby whichyou shall go,for you have not passedthis waybefore."
