Joshua 20:3-5

Expanded Bible

³ If a person kills someone accidentally and without meaning to kill him, that person may go to a city of ·safety [refuge] to hide. There the killer will be safe from the ·relative who has the duty of punishing a murderer [near-relative; ^Lavenger of blood].

⁴ “When the killer ·runs [flees] to one of those cities, he must stop at the entrance ·gate [^Lof the city gate], stand there, and tell the ·leaders of the people [^Lelders of that city] what happened [^Cthe council of leaders met at the city gate and held trials there; Deut. 21:19; Ruth 4:1]. Then that person will be allowed to enter the city and will be given a place to live among them. ⁵ But if the ·one who is chasing him [near-relative; ^Lavenger of blood] follows him to that city, ·the leaders of the city [^Lthey] must not hand over the ·killer [manslayer]. It was an accident. He did not hate him beforehand or kill him on purpose.