Deuteronomy 19:6-12

New International Version

⁶ Otherwise, the avenger of blood^(A) might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. ⁷ This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

⁸ If the Lord your God enlarges your territory,^(B) as he promised^(C) on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them, ⁹ because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the Lord your God and to walk always in obedience to him^(D)—then you are to set aside three more cities. ¹⁰ Do this so that innocent blood^(E) will not be shed in your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.^(F)

¹¹ But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor,^(G) and then flees to one of these cities, ¹² the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die.