Deuteronomy 19:5

New Century Version

For example, suppose someone goes into the forest with a neighbor to cut wood and swings an ax to cut down a tree. If the ax head flies off the handle, hitting and killing the neighbor, the one who killed him may run to one of these cities to save his life.

Cross References

2 Kings 6:4

so he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they cut down some trees.

Proverbs 27:12

The wise see danger ahead and avoid it, but fools keep going and get into trouble.

Isaiah 32:2

Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind, like a safe place in a storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like a cool shadow from a large rock in a hot land.

Numbers 35:25

They must protect the killer from the dead person’s relative, sending the killer back to the original city of safety, to stay there until the high priest dies (the high priest had the holy oil poured on him).

Deuteronomy 19:4

This is the rule for someone who kills another person and runs to one of these cities in order to save his life. But the person must have killed a neighbor without meaning to, not out of hatred.

Deuteronomy 19:6

Otherwise, the dead person’s relative who has the duty of punishing a murderer might be angry and chase him. If the city is far away, the relative might catch and kill the person, even though he should not be killed because there was no intent to kill his neighbor.