18. Or if any of you picks up a piece of wood as a weapon and uses it to kill another person, you are a murderer. Murderers must be put to death.
19. The relative who can avenge the death must make sure a murderer is put to death. When he catches up with the murderer, he must kill him.
20. If any of you kills someone you hate by shoving him or by deliberately throwing something at him,
21. or if you beat your enemy to death with your bare hands, you must be put to death. You are a murderer. The relative who can avenge the death must kill you when he catches up with you, because you are a murderer.
22. “But suppose you accidentally kill someone who wasn’t your enemy. Maybe you shoved him or threw something at him but didn’t mean to kill him.
23. Or suppose you drop a big stone, and someone is killed. However, you didn’t know the person was there, he wasn’t your enemy, and you weren’t trying to harm him.
24. Then the community must use these rules in order to decide if you ⌊are innocent⌋ or if the dead person’s relative can avenge the death.
25. ⌊If you are innocent,⌋ the community must protect you from that relative. They must take you back to the city of refuge you fled to. You must live there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
26. “But don’t go outside the city of refuge you fled to.
27. If the relative who can avenge the death finds you outside the city of refuge and kills you, the relative is not guilty of murder.
28. Accused murderers must stay in their city of refuge until the death of the high priest. They may go back to their own property only after his death.
29. “These will be the rules for future generations wherever you live.