²² But if a man has given a wound to another suddenly and not in hate, or without design has sent something against him,

¹³ But if he had no evil purpose against him, and God gave him into his hand, I will give you a place to which he may go in flight.

¹¹ Then let certain towns be marked out as safe places to which anyone who takes the life of another in error may go in flight.

⁵ For example, if a man goes into the woods with his neighbour for the purpose of cutting down trees, and when he takes his axe to give a blow to the tree, the head of the axe comes off, and falling on to his neighbour gives him a wound causing his death; then the man may go in flight to one of these towns and be safe:

³ So that any man who in error and without design has taken the life of another, may go in flight to them: and they will be safe places for you from him who has the right of punishment for blood.

⁵ And if the one who has the right of punishment comes after him, they are not to give the taker of life up to him; because he was the cause of his neighbour's death without designing it and not in hate.