1 “The|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" is|strong="H0834" giving|strong="H5414" you|strong="H0834" land|strong="H0776" that|strong="H0834" belongs to|strong="H3068" other nations|strong="H1471". The|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" will|strong="H3068" destroy|strong="H3423" those|strong="H0834" nations|strong="H1471". You|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" live|strong="H3427" where|strong="H0834" these|strong="H0834" people|strong="H1471" lived|strong="H3427". You|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" take|strong="H3423" their|strong="H3068" cities|strong="H5892" and|strong="H3068" their|strong="H3068" houses|strong="H1004". When|strong="H3588" that|strong="H0834" happens,
4 “This|strong="H2088" is|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0853" rule|strong="H1697" for|strong="H8033" someone who|strong="H0834" kills|strong="H5221" another|strong="H7453" person and|strong="H8033" runs to|strong="H8033" one|strong="H2088" of|strong="H1697" these|strong="H2088" three cities for|strong="H8033" safety: It|strong="H1931" must|strong="H0853" be|strong="H3808" someone who|strong="H0834" killed|strong="H5221" another|strong="H7453" person accidentally|strong="H1847", not|strong="H3808" out|strong="H8033" of|strong="H1697" hatred|strong="H8130".
5 Here|strong="H4191" is|strong="H0834" an|strong="H4480" example: A|strong="H3772" man|strong="H4191" goes|strong="H0935" into|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" forest|strong="H3293" with|strong="H0854" another|strong="H7453" person|strong="H3027" to|strong="H0413" cut|strong="H3772" wood|strong="H6086". The|strong="H0853" man|strong="H4191" swings|strong="H5080" his|strong="H0834" ax to|strong="H0413" cut|strong="H3772" down|strong="H3772" a|strong="H3772" tree|strong="H6086", but|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0853" head|strong="H1270" of|strong="H3027" the|strong="H0853" ax separates from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H0853" handle|strong="H6086". The|strong="H0853" ax head|strong="H1270" hits the|strong="H0853" other|strong="H0259" person|strong="H3027" and|strong="H0935" kills|strong="H4191" him|strong="H0413". The|strong="H0853" man|strong="H4191" who|strong="H0834" swung the|strong="H0853" ax may|strong="H0834" then|strong="H0853" run|strong="H5127" to|strong="H0413" one|strong="H0259" of|strong="H3027" these|strong="H0428" three cities|strong="H5892" and|strong="H0935" be|strong="H4191" safe.
6 But|strong="H3588" if|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3588" city|strong="H1931" is|strong="H0369" too|strong="H3808" far away|strong="H0310", he|strong="H1931" might|strong="H6435" not|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" able to|strong="H0369" run|strong="H7291" there|strong="H0369" fast enough. A|strong="H3588" close|strong="H1350" relative|strong="H1350" of|strong="H1870" the|strong="H3588" person|strong="H5315" he|strong="H1931" killed|strong="H5221" might|strong="H6435" run|strong="H7291" after|strong="H0310" him|strong="H5221" and|strong="H4941" catch|strong="H5381" him|strong="H5221" before|strong="H3808" he|strong="H1931" reaches|strong="H5381" the|strong="H3588" city|strong="H1931". The|strong="H3588" relative|strong="H1350" might|strong="H6435" kill|strong="H5221" the|strong="H3588" man|strong="H5315" in|strong="H5315" anger|strong="H3824", even|strong="H3588" though|strong="H3588" he|strong="H1931" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" deserve|strong="H4941" to|strong="H0369" die|strong="H4194" because|strong="H3588" he|strong="H1931" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" mean to|strong="H0369" harm|strong="H5221" anyone|strong="H5315".
7 That|strong="H3651" is|strong="H3651" why|strong="H3651" I|strong="H0595" commanded|strong="H6680" you|strong="H6680" to|strong="H0559" choose three|strong="H7969" special cities|strong="H5892".
8 “The|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" promised|strong="H1696" your|strong="H3068" fathers|strong="H0001" that|strong="H0834" he|strong="H0834" would|strong="H3068" make|strong="H5414" your|strong="H3068" land|strong="H0776" larger|strong="H7337". He|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" give|strong="H5414" you|strong="H0834" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" land|strong="H0776" that|strong="H0834" he|strong="H0834" promised|strong="H1696" to|strong="H1696" give|strong="H5414" to|strong="H1696" your|strong="H3068" ancestors|strong="H0001".
9 He|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" do|strong="H6213" this|strong="H2063" if|strong="H3588" you|strong="H0834" completely|strong="H3605" obey|strong="H6213" his|strong="H3605" commands|strong="H6680" that|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" give|strong="H6680" you|strong="H0834" today|strong="H3117"—if|strong="H3588" you|strong="H0834" love|strong="H0157" the|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" and|strong="H3068" always|strong="H3117" live|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3605" way|strong="H1870" he|strong="H0834" wants. Then|strong="H0853", when|strong="H3588" he|strong="H0834" gives you|strong="H0834" more|strong="H5750" land, you|strong="H0834" should|strong="H3068" choose three|strong="H7969" more|strong="H5750" cities|strong="H5892" for|strong="H3588" safety. They|strong="H0834" should|strong="H3068" be|strong="H5750" added|strong="H3254" to|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" first|strong="H3117" three|strong="H7969" cities|strong="H5892".
10 Then|strong="H1961" innocent|strong="H5355" people|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" not|strong="H3808" be|strong="H1961" killed in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" land|strong="H0776" that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0834" LORD|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" is|strong="H0834" giving|strong="H5414" you|strong="H0834". And|strong="H3068" you|strong="H0834" will|strong="H3068" not|strong="H3808" be|strong="H1961" guilty for|strong="H5921" any|strong="H1961" such|strong="H0834" deaths.
11 “But|strong="H3588" suppose|strong="H3588" there|strong="H1961" is|strong="H0376" a|strong="H1961" man|strong="H0376" who|strong="H0376" hates|strong="H8130" his|strong="H5921" neighbor|strong="H7453". That|strong="H3588" man|strong="H0376" might hide|strong="H0693" and|strong="H6965" wait|strong="H0693" to|strong="H0413" kill|strong="H4191" the|strong="H5921" person|strong="H5315" he|strong="H3588" hates|strong="H8130". If|strong="H3588" he|strong="H3588" kills|strong="H5221" that|strong="H3588" person|strong="H5315" and|strong="H6965" runs to|strong="H0413" one|strong="H0259" of|strong="H0376" these|strong="H0411" cities|strong="H5892" of|strong="H0376" safety,
12 the|strong="H0853" elders|strong="H2205" in|strong="H4191" his|strong="H5414" hometown must|strong="H4191" send|strong="H7971" someone|strong="H5414" to|strong="H4191" get|strong="H3947" him|strong="H5414" and|strong="H3027" take|strong="H3947" him|strong="H5414" away|strong="H7971" from|strong="H3027" the|strong="H0853" city|strong="H5892" of|strong="H3027" safety. These|strong="H3947" leaders|strong="H2205" must|strong="H4191" hand|strong="H3027" him|strong="H5414" over|strong="H3027" to|strong="H4191" the|strong="H0853" close|strong="H1350" relative|strong="H1350". He|strong="H8033" is|strong="H3027" a|strong="H3947" murderer and|strong="H3027" he|strong="H8033" must|strong="H4191" die|strong="H4191".
13 Don’t|strong="H3808" feel|strong="H5869" sorry|strong="H2347" for|strong="H5921" him|strong="H5921". He|strong="H3808" is|strong="H2896" guilty of|strong="H5869" killing|strong="H1818" an|strong="H5921" innocent|strong="H5355" person|strong="H1818", and|strong="H3478" you|strong="H5921" must|strong="H3808" remove that|strong="H3808" guilt|strong="H1818" from|strong="H5921" Israel|strong="H3478". Then|strong="H3808" everything will|strong="H3478" go well|strong="H2896" for|strong="H5921" you|strong="H5921".
14 “You|strong="H0834" must|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" move|strong="H5253" the|strong="H0834" stones that|strong="H0834" mark your|strong="H3068" neighbor’s|strong="H7453" property|strong="H5159". People|strong="H0834" put|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" there|strong="H3068" in|strong="H0430" the|strong="H0834" past|strong="H7223" to|strong="H3068" mark each person’s property|strong="H5159". These|strong="H0834" stones mark the|strong="H0834" land|strong="H0776" that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0834" LORD|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430" gave|strong="H5414" you|strong="H0834".
15 “If|strong="H0834" someone|strong="H0376" is|strong="H0834" accused of|strong="H0376" doing something|strong="H1697" against|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" law, one|strong="H0259" witness|strong="H5707" is|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" enough to|strong="H5921" prove that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H3605" person|strong="H0376" is|strong="H0834" guilty|strong="H5771". There|strong="H3605" must|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" two|strong="H8147" or|strong="H0176" three|strong="H7969" witnesses|strong="H5707" to|strong="H5921" prove that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H3605" person|strong="H0376" really did|strong="H0834" wrong|strong="H5771".
16 “A|strong="H3588" witness|strong="H5707" might try to|strong="H0376" hurt another|strong="H0376" person|strong="H0376" by|strong="H6965" lying and|strong="H6965" saying that|strong="H3588" this|strong="H3588" person|strong="H0376" did|strong="H0376" wrong|strong="H2555".
17 If|strong="H0834" that|strong="H0834" happens|strong="H1961", both|strong="H8147" of|strong="H0376" them|strong="H1992" must go|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" the|strong="H6440" LORD’S|strong="H3068" special house and|strong="H3068" be|strong="H1961" judged|strong="H8199" by|strong="H3068" the|strong="H6440" priests|strong="H3548" and|strong="H3068" judges|strong="H8199" who|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" on|strong="H3117" duty at|strong="H3068" that|strong="H0834" time|strong="H3117".
18 When|strong="H2009" the|strong="H1875" judges|strong="H8199" carefully|strong="H1875" ask|strong="H1875" their|strong="H1875" questions, they might find that|strong="H2009" the|strong="H1875" witness|strong="H5707" lied against the|strong="H1875" other|strong="H0251" person|strong="H8199". If|strong="H2009" the|strong="H1875" witnesses|strong="H5707" tell lies|strong="H8267",
19 you|strong="H0834" must punish them|strong="H6213" with|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0834" same punishment the|strong="H0834" other|strong="H0251" person would|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" received. In|strong="H7130" this|strong="H0834" way you|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" remove this|strong="H0834" evil|strong="H7451" from|strong="H0251" your|strong="H0834" group.
20 Other|strong="H2088" people|strong="H3808" will|strong="H1697" hear|strong="H8085" about|strong="H1697" this|strong="H2088" and|strong="H1697" be|strong="H5750" afraid|strong="H3372", and|strong="H1697" people|strong="H3808" will|strong="H1697" not|strong="H3808" do|strong="H6213" evil|strong="H7451" things|strong="H1697" like|strong="H3808" that|strong="H8085" again|strong="H5750".
21 “Don’t|strong="H3808" feel|strong="H5869" sorry|strong="H2347" about punishing someone|strong="H5315" who|strong="H5315" does|strong="H3808" wrong. If a|strong="H3808" life|strong="H5315" is|strong="H5315" taken, a|strong="H3808" life|strong="H5315" must|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" paid|strong="H3027" for|strong="H3027" it|strong="H3808". The|strong="H3027" rule|strong="H3027" is|strong="H5315" an eye|strong="H5869" for|strong="H3027" an eye|strong="H5869", a|strong="H3808" tooth|strong="H8127" for|strong="H3027" a|strong="H3808" tooth|strong="H8127", a|strong="H3808" hand|strong="H3027" for|strong="H3027" a|strong="H3808" hand|strong="H3027", a|strong="H3808" foot|strong="H7272" for|strong="H3027" a|strong="H3808" foot|strong="H7272"—the|strong="H3027" punishment|strong="H3027" must|strong="H3808" equal the|strong="H3027" crime.