设立避难城
1“你们的上帝耶和华毁灭那些民族，把他们的土地赐给你们，使你们赶走他们，住进他们的城邑和房屋后， 2-3你们要把土地划分为三个地区，在每个地区设立一座避难城，修好通往这三座城的道路，以便误杀人者可以逃往最近的避难城。
4“如果有人无意间杀了素无冤仇的同伴，他可以逃往避难城，以保住性命。 5例如，有人和朋友去森林砍树，斧头脱柄，误杀了朋友，他就可以逃往避难城，以保住性命。 6否则，如果避难城离误杀人者太远，怒火中烧的报仇者就会追上去杀死他。其实他是不该死的，因为他与被误杀的人素无冤仇。 7因此，我吩咐你们要设立三座避难城。
8-9“如果你们谨遵我今天吩咐你们的这一切诫命，爱你们的上帝耶和华，一生遵行祂的旨意，祂就会按照祂对你们祖先所起的誓，扩张你们的疆域，把应许给你们祖先的土地赐给你们。那时，你们要再设三座避难城， 10免得无辜人的血流在你们的上帝耶和华赐给你们作产业之地，以致你们担当枉杀无辜的罪。
11“如果有人因憎恨邻居而暗中埋伏，杀了邻居，然后逃到避难城， 12他本城的长老要派人去把他带回来，交给复仇的人，将他处死。 13不可怜悯他，要从以色列除掉这种滥杀无辜的罪，这样你们才会顺利。
14“在你们的上帝耶和华将要赐给你们作产业之地，你们不可挪动邻居的界石，因为那是先人立的。
15“如果人犯了什么罪或有什么过失，不可凭一个证人作证就定罪，要有两三个证人才可以定案。 16如果有人作伪证诬陷别人， 17诉讼双方要站在耶和华面前，让当值的祭司和审判官定夺。 18审判官要仔细审查案件，如果发现那人作伪证， 19就要按照他企图加给被诬告者的伤害处罚他。这样，就从你们当中除掉了罪恶。 20其他人听说后，都会害怕，不敢再做这种恶事。 21你们对恶人不可心软，要以命偿命，以眼还眼，以牙还牙，以手还手，以脚还脚。
1When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;19.1 succeedest: Heb. inheritest, or, possessest 2Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. 3Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
4¶ And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;19.4 in…: Heb. from yesterday the third day 5As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:19.5 head: Heb. iron19.5 helve: Heb. wood19.5 lighteth…: Heb. findeth 6Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.19.6 slay…: Heb. smite him in life19.6 in…: Heb. from yesterday the third day 7Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee. 8And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; 9If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three: 10That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
11¶ But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:19.11 mortally: Heb. in life 12Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
14¶ Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15¶ One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
16¶ If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;19.16 that…: or, falling away 17Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; 18And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. 20And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. 21And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
