1After the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he's giving you, and after you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,

2then you are to choose three sanctuary towns in the country that the Lord your God is giving you to own.

3You are to build roads to these towns. Divide the country the Lord is giving you into three sections. This way anyone who kills someone else can easily run to these towns for protection.

4This is what is to happen when a person accidentally kills someone else without meaning to, and runs to one of these sanctuary towns to save their life.

5For example, if a man goes to cut wood in the forest with his friend and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the head flies off the handle and hits and kills his friend, he may run to one of these towns to save his life.

6Otherwise the avenger ³¹in his anger might chase after the man and catch up with him and kill him, if it's a long distance. The man would be killed even though he didn't deserve to die, because he hadn't meant to cause any harm.

7This is the reason why I'm giving this order to choose three sanctuary towns.

8Should the Lord your God expand your territory, as he promised your forefathers, and give you all the land he said he would,

9and if you are careful to keep all these commandments I'm giving you today, loving the Lord your God and always following his ways, then you are to choose three additional sanctuary towns.

10In this way the blood of innocent people won't be shed in the country the Lord your God is giving you to own and you won't be responsible for the death of innocent people who aren't guilty of losing their lives.

11On the other hand, if a man hates someone, hides in wait, and attacks and kills them, and then the killer runs to one of the sanctuary towns,

12the elders of his home town must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger to be killed.

13Show him no mercy. You are to eliminate from Israel the guilt of shedding the blood of the innocent, and then all will be well.

14Don't move your neighbor's boundary marker. It was placed there by your ancestors to mark the land allotment you will receive in the country that the Lord your God is giving you to own.

15The evidence given by a single witness is not enough to prove a sin or a crime against someone, never mind what offense they are alleged to have committed. The facts must be confirmed by the evidence given by two or three witnesses.

16If someone falsely accuses another person of a crime,

17both those involved must come to be judged in the presence of the Lord by the priests and judges who are then in office.

18The judges shall conduct a full investigation, and if the accuser proves to be a liar who has made false accusations

19then you must punish the accuser in the same way they wanted to punish their victim. You must eliminate this evil from among you.

20Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you. Then everyone else will hear about it and be afraid, and won't ever do anything so evil.

21Don't show any mercy. The rule is life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.