Deu 19:6-12 | ESV | STEP | lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him , because the way is long , and strike him fatally , though the man did not deserve to die , since he had not hated his neighbor in the past .

Deuteronomy 19:6-12

6 lest ^athe avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past. 7 Therefore I command you, You shall set apart three cities. 8 ^bAnd if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, ^cas he has sworn to your fathers, and ^dgives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers— 9 provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the Lord your God and by walking ever in his ways— ^ethen you shall add three other cities to these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you.

11 “But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him ^fand strikes him fatally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities, 12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die.