Deuteronomy 19

1When Yahweh your God destroys the nations whose land Yahweh your God gives you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses.

2You shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess.

3Prepare the way for yourself, and divide into three the borders of your land that Yahweh your God allots to you, so every manslayer can flee there.

4This is the case of the slayer who flees there and lives: whoever strikes his fellow without knowledge and did not hate him in time past.

5As when a man goes into the woods with his neighbor to hew trees, and his hand thrusts the ax to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so he dies, he shall flee to one of these cities and live.

6Lest the blood avenger pursue the killer after him as his heart grows hot, overtake him because the distance is great, and strike his life; yet no death judgment applies to him, because he does not hate him from yesterday or the third day.

7Thus I command you: Separate three cities for yourself.

8If Yahweh your God expands your territory, as he swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he spoke of giving to your fathers,

9If you keep all this commandment to fulfill it—which I am commanding you today, to love Yahweh your God and to walk in all his ways every day—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

10lest innocent blood be poured out in the midst of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you as an inheritance, and so bloodguilt come upon you.

11But if a man hates his neighbor and ambushes him, rises against him and strikes him mortally so that he dies, and flees to one of these cities,

12The elders of his city shall send and bring him from there, and hand him over into the grasp of the blood avenger, so that he dies.

13Do not let your eye spare him, but purge the innocent blood from Israel, and it will be well for you.

14Do not remove your neighbor's border, which the ancients set in your inheritance that you will inherit, in the land that Yahweh your God gives you to possess.

15A single witness shall not stand against a person for any iniquity or any sin, in whatever offense he commits; a matter shall be established on the testimony of two witnesses or three witnesses.

16If a malicious witness arises against any man to accuse him of rebellion,

17Both men between whom the dispute exists shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who will be in those days.

18The judges shall inquire thoroughly, and behold, if the witness is a false witness who has testified falsely against his brother.

19You shall do to him as he schemed to do to his brother, and you shall purge the evil from among you.

20Those remaining shall hear and fear, and never again do such an evil thing in your midst.

21Do not let your eye show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.