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Chapter 19
1 When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations, whose land he will deliver to you, and you shall possess it, and shall dwell in the cities and houses thereof:
2 You shall separate to you three cities in the midst of the land, which the Lord will give you in possession,
3 Paving diligently the way: and you shall divide the whole province of your land equally into three parts: that he who is forced to flee for manslaughter, may have near at hand whither to escape.
4 This shall be the law of the slayer that flees, whose life is to be saved: He that kills his neighbour ignorantly, and who is proved to have had no hatred against him yesterday and the day before:
5 But to have gone with him to the wood to hew wood, and in cutting down the tree the axe slipped out of his hand, and the iron slipping from the handle struck his friend, and killed him: he shall flee to one of the cities aforesaid, and live:
6 Lest perhaps the next kinsman of him whose blood was shed, pushed on by his grief should pursue, and apprehend him. if the way be too long, and take away the life of him who is not guilty of death, because he is proved to have had no hatred before against him that was slain.
7 Therefore I command you, that you separate three cities at equal distance one from another.
8 And when the Lord your God shall have enlarged your borders, as he swore to your fathers, and shall give you all the land that he promised them,
9 (Yet so, if you keep his commandments, and do the things which I command you this day, that you love the Lord your God, and walk in his ways at all times) you shall add to you other three cities, and shall double the number of the three cities aforesaid:
10 That innocent blood may not be shed in the midst of the land which the Lord your God will give you to possess, lest you be guilty of blood.
11 But if any man hating his neighbour, lie in wait for his life, and rise and strike him, and he die, and he flee to one of the cities aforesaid,
12 The ancients of his city shall send, and take him out of the place of refuge, and shall deliver him into the hand of the kinsman of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die.
13 You shall not pity him, and you shall take away the guilt of innocent blood out of Israel, that it may be well with you.
14 You shall not take nor remove your neighbour's landmark, which your predecessors have set in your possession. which the Lord your God will give you in the land that you shall receive to possess.
15 One witness shall not rise up against any man, whatsoever the sin or wickedness be: but in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand.
16 If a lying witness stand against a man, accusing him of transgression,
17 Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days.
18 And when after most diligent inquisition, they shall find that the false witness has told a lie against his brother:
19 They shall render to him as he meant to do to his brother, and you shall take away the evil out of the midst of you:
20 That others hearing may fear, and may not dare to do such things.
21 You shall not pity him, but shall require life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.