20. If someone pushes another out of hatred, or throws something from an ambush, and death results,
21. or strikes another with the hand out of enmity and death results, the assailant must be put to death as a murderer. The avenger of blood will kill the murderer on sight.
22. However, if someone pushes another without malice aforethought, or without lying in ambush throws some object at another,
23. or without seeing drops upon another some death-dealing stone and death results, although there was neither enmity nor malice—
24. then the community will judge between the assailant and the avenger of blood in accordance with these norms.
25. The community will deliver the homicide from the avenger of blood and the community will return the homicide to the city of asylum where the latter had fled; and the individual will stay there until the death of the high priest who has been anointed with sacred oil.
26. If the homicide leaves at all the bounds of the city of asylum to which flight had been made,
27. and is found by the avenger of blood beyond the bounds of the city of asylum, and the avenger of blood kills the homicide, the avenger incurs no bloodguilt;
28. for the homicide was required to stay in the city of asylum until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest may the homicide return to the land of the homicide’s possession.
29. This is the statute for you throughout all your generations, wherever you live, for rendering judgment.
30. Whenever someone kills another, the evidence of witnesses is required to kill the murderer. A single witness does not suffice for putting a person to death.
31. You will not accept compensation in place of the life of a murderer who deserves to die, but that person must be put to death.
32. Nor will you accept compensation to allow one who has fled to a city of asylum to return to live in the land before the death of the high priest.
33. You will not pollute the land where you live. For bloodshed pollutes the land, and the land can have no expiation for the blood shed on it except through the blood of the one who shed it.
34. Do not defile the land in which you live and in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the Israelites.