572 - Cities of Refuge
Cities of Refuge “When the Lord, your God, destroys the nations, whose land He is giving to you, …you will take over their land …and settle in their towns and homes. Then, you must set apart three cities of refuge, in the land, that the Lord, your God, is giving you. Survey the territory, and divide the land, that the Lord, your God, is giving to you, into three districts, with one of these cities, in each district. Then, anyone, who has killed someone, can flee, to one of the cities of refuge, for safety. “If someone kills another person, unintentionally, without previous hostility, the slayer may flee to any of these cities, to live in safety. For example, suppose someone goes into the forest, with a neighbor, to cut wood. And suppose, one of them swings an ax, to chop down a tree, and the ax head flies off the handle, killing the other person. In such cases, the slayer may flee to one of the cities of refuge, to live in safety. “If the ...