Numbers 35:22-34

“ ‘But a person might suddenly shove someone, and not from hatred. Or a person might accidentally throw something and hit someone. Or a person might drop a rock on someone he couldn’t see and kill that person. There was no plan to hurt anyone and no hatred for the one who was killed. If that happens, the community must judge between the relative of the dead person and the killer, according to these rules. 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). “ ‘Such a person must never go outside the limits of the city of safety. If a relative of the dead person finds the killer outside the city, the relative may kill that person and not be guilty of murder. The killer must stay in the city of safety until the high priest dies. After the high priest dies, the killer may go home. “ ‘These laws are for you from now on, wherever you live. “ ‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer may be put to death only if there are witnesses. No one may be put to death with only one witness. “ ‘Don’t take money to spare the life of a murderer who should be put to death. A murderer must be put to death. “ ‘If someone has run to a city of safety, don’t take money to let the person go back home before the high priest dies. “ ‘Don’t let murder spoil your land. The only way to remove the sin of killing an innocent person is for the murderer to be put to death. I am the LORD, and I live among the Israelites. I live in that land with you, so do not spoil it with murder.’ ”

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