Cities of Refuge

(Numbers 35:6-34; Deuteronomy 4:41-43; Joshua 20:1-9)

1When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses; 2Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. 3Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the limits of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.

4And this is the case of the slayer, who shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoever killeth his neighbor ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; 5As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand maketh a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and falleth upon his neighbor, that he dieth: he shall flee to one of these cities, and live: 6Lest the avenger of blood shall pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. 7Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

8And if the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy limits, as he hath sworn to thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give to thy fathers; 9If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, besides these three: 10That innocent blood may not be shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

11But if any man shall hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally, that he dieth, and he shall flee into one of these cities: 12Then the elders of his city shall send and bring him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13Thy eye shall not pity him, but thou shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may be well with thee.

14Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark, which they of old time have set in thy inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

The Testimony of Witnesses

(Matthew 18:15-20)

15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. 16If a false witness shall rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; 17Then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before the LORD, before the priests, and the judges, who shall be in those days; 18And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19Then shall ye do to him, as he had thought to do to his brother: so shalt thou remove the evil from among you. 20And those who remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. 21And thy eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.