Cities of Refuge
(Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Joshua 20:1–9)

1 כִּֽי־ (When) יַכְרִ֞ית (has cut off) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (your God) אֶת־ (-) הַגּוֹיִ֔ם (the nations), אֲשֶׁר֙ (whose) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) נֹתֵ֥ן (is giving) לְךָ֖ (you) אֶת־ (-) אַרְצָ֑ם (land), וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֕ם (and you dispossess them) וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֥ (and dwell) בְעָרֵיהֶ֖ם (in their cities) וּבְבָתֵּיהֶֽם׃ (and in their houses),

2 שָׁל֥וֹשׁ (three) עָרִ֖ים (cities) תַּבְדִּ֣יל (you shall separate) לָ֑ךְ (for yourself) בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the midst) אַרְצְךָ֔ (of your land) אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) נֹתֵ֥ן (is giving) לְךָ֖ (you) לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (to possess).

3 תָּכִ֣ין (You shall prepare) לְךָ֮ (for yourself) הַדֶּרֶךְ֒ (the way) וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ֙ (and divide into three parts) אֶת־ (-) גְּב֣וּל (the territory) אַרְצְךָ֔ (of your land) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) יַנְחִֽילְךָ֖ (is giving you to inherit) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ (your God), וְהָיָ֕ה (and it will be that) לָנ֥וּס (may flee) שָׁ֖מָּה (there) כָּל־ (any) רֹצֵֽחַ׃ (manslayer).

4 וְזֶה֙ (And this is) דְּבַ֣ר (the matter) הָרֹצֵ֔חַ (of the manslayer) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) יָנ֥וּס (flees) שָׁ֖מָּה (there) וָחָ֑י (that he may live)— אֲשֶׁ֨ר (whoever) יַכֶּ֤ה (strikes) אֶת־ (-) רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ (his neighbor) בִּבְלִי־ (without) דַ֔עַת (knowing), וְה֛וּא (and he) לֹא־ (without) שֹׂנֵ֥א (having hated) ל֖וֹ (him) מִתְּמֹ֥ל (from yesterday) שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃ (and the day before yesterday).

5 וַאֲשֶׁר֩ (And he who) יָבֹ֨א (goes) אֶת־ (with) רֵעֵ֥הוּ (his neighbor) בַיַּעַר֮ (into the forest) לַחְטֹ֣ב (to cut) עֵצִים֒ (timber), וְנִדְּחָ֨ה (and swings) יָד֤וֹ (his hand) בַגַּרְזֶן֙ (with the ax) לִכְרֹ֣ת (to cut down) הָעֵ֔ץ (the tree), וְנָשַׁ֤ל (and slips) הַבַּרְזֶל֙ (the head) מִן־ (from) הָעֵ֔ץ (the handle) וּמָצָ֥א (and strikes) אֶת־ (-) רֵעֵ֖הוּ (his neighbor) וָמֵ֑ת (so that he dies), ה֗וּא (he) יָנ֛וּס (shall flee) אֶל־ (to) אַחַ֥ת (one) הֶעָרִים־ (of the cities) הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) וָחָֽי׃ (and live),

6 פֶּן־ (lest) יִרְדֹּף֩ (pursue) גֹּאֵ֨ל (the avenger) הַדָּ֜ם (of blood) אַחֲרֵ֣י (after) הָרֹצֵ֗חַ (the manslayer) כִּי־ (while) יֵחַם֮ (is hot) לְבָבוֹ֒ (his anger), וְהִשִּׂיג֛וֹ (and overtake him) כִּֽי־ (because) יִרְבֶּ֥ה (is long) הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ (the way) וְהִכָּ֣הוּ (and kill) נָ֑פֶשׁ (him). וְלוֹ֙ (And though he) אֵ֣ין (not) מִשְׁפַּט־ (has a sentence) מָ֔וֶת (of death), כִּ֠י (since) לֹ֣א (not) שֹׂנֵ֥א (had hated) ה֛וּא (he) ל֖וֹ (him) מִתְּמ֥וֹל (from yesterday) שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃ (and the day before yesterday).

7 עַל־ (Upon) כֵּ֛ן (thus) אָנֹכִ֥י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֖ (command you) לֵאמֹ֑ר (in saying) שָׁלֹ֥שׁ (three) עָרִ֖ים (cities) תַּבְדִּ֥יל (you shall separate) לָֽךְ׃ס (for yourself).

8 וְאִם־ (And if) יַרְחִ֞יב (enlarges) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (your God) אֶת־ (-) גְּבֻ֣לְךָ֔ (your territory), כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) נִשְׁבַּ֖ע (He swore) לַאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ (to your fathers), וְנָ֤תַן (and He gives) לְךָ֙ (you) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the land) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) דִּבֶּ֖ר (He promised) לָתֵ֥ת (to give) לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (to your fathers),

9 כִּֽי־ (and if) תִשְׁמֹר֩ (you keep) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַמִּצְוָ֨ה (the commandment) הַזֹּ֜את (this) לַעֲשֹׂתָ֗הּ (and do it), אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that which) אָנֹכִ֣י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֮ (command you) הַיּוֹם֒ (today), לְאַהֲבָ֞ה (to love) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (your God), וְלָלֶ֥כֶת (and to walk) בִּדְרָכָ֖יו (in His ways) כָּל־ (all) הַיָּמִ֑ים (the days), וְיָסַפְתָּ֨ (then you shall add) לְךָ֥ (to yourself) עוֹד֙ (more) שָׁלֹ֣שׁ (three) עָרִ֔ים (cities) עַ֖ל (besides) הַשָּׁלֹ֥שׁ (the three) הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (these).

10 וְלֹ֤א (And not) יִשָּׁפֵךְ֙ (will be shed) דָּ֣ם (blood) נָקִ֔י (innocent) בְּקֶ֣רֶב (in the midst) אַרְצְךָ֔ (of your land), אֲשֶׁר֙ (which) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) נֹתֵ֥ן (is giving) לְךָ֖ (you) נַחֲלָ֑ה (as an inheritance), וְהָיָ֥ה (and be) עָלֶ֖יךָ (upon you) דָּמִֽים׃ס (blood).

11 וְכִֽי־ (But if) יִהְיֶ֥ה (comes) אִישׁ֙ (anyone) שֹׂנֵ֣א (to hate) לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ (his neighbor), וְאָ֤רַב (and he lies in wait) לוֹ֙ (for him) וְקָ֣ם (and rises) עָלָ֔יו (against him) וְהִכָּ֥הוּ (and strikes him) נֶ֖פֶשׁ (mortally) וָמֵ֑ת (so that he dies), וְנָ֕ס (and he flees) אֶל־ (to) אַחַ֖ת (one) הֶעָרִ֥ים (of the cities) הָאֵֽל׃ (these),

12 וְשָֽׁלְחוּ֙ (and shall send) זִקְנֵ֣י (the elders) עִיר֔וֹ (of his city) וְלָקְח֥וּ (and bring) אֹת֖וֹ (him) מִשָּׁ֑ם (from there), וְנָתְנ֣וּ (and deliver) אֹת֗וֹ (him) בְּיַ֛ד (to the hand) גֹּאֵ֥ל (of the avenger) הַדָּ֖ם (of the blood), וָמֵֽת׃ (that he may die).

13 לֹא־ (Not) תָח֥וֹס (shall pity) עֵֽינְךָ֖ (Your eye) עָלָ֑יו (him), וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֧ (and you shall put away) דַֽם־ (blood) הַנָּקִ֛י (the innocent) מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (from Israel), וְט֥וֹב (that it may go well) לָֽךְ׃ס (with you).

14 לֹ֤א (Not) תַסִּיג֙ (you shall move) גְּב֣וּל (a border) רֵֽעֲךָ֔ (of your neighbor), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (which) גָּבְל֖וּ (have set) רִאשֹׁנִ֑ים (the men of old) בְּנַחֲלָֽתְךָ֙ (in your inheritance) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) תִּנְחַ֔ל (you will inherit) בָּאָ֕רֶץ (in the land) אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) נֹתֵ֥ן (is giving) לְךָ֖ (you) לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ס (to possess).

The Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses
(Matthew 18:15–20)

15 לֹֽא־ (Not) יָקוּם֩ (shall rise) עֵ֨ד (witness) אֶחָ֜ד (one) בְּאִ֗ישׁ (against a man) לְכָל־ (concerning any) עָוֺן֙ (iniquity), וּלְכָל־ (or any) חַטָּ֔את (sin), בְּכָל־ (in any) חֵ֖טְא (sin) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) יֶֽחֱטָ֑א (he commits). עַל־ (Upon) פִּ֣י׀ (the mouth) שְׁנֵ֣י (of two) עֵדִ֗ים (witnesses) א֛וֹ (or) עַל־ (upon) פִּ֥י (the mouth) שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־ (of three) עֵדִ֖ים (witnesses) יָק֥וּם (shall be established) דָּבָֽר׃ (a matter).

16 כִּֽי־ (If) יָק֥וּם (rises) עֵד־ (a witness) חָמָ֖ס (false) בְּאִ֑ישׁ (against any man) לַעֲנ֥וֹת (to testify) בּ֖וֹ (against him) סָרָֽה׃ (of wrongdoing),

17 וְעָמְד֧וּ (and shall stand) שְׁנֵֽי־ (both) הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים (the men), אֲשֶׁר־ (whom) לָהֶ֥ם (between them) הָרִ֖יב (is the controversy), לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH), לִפְנֵ֤י (before) הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (the priests) וְהַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔ים (and the judges), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) יִהְי֖וּ (serve) בַּיָּמִ֥ים (in the days) הָהֵֽם׃ (those).

18 וְדָרְשׁ֥וּ (And shall make inquiry) הַשֹּׁפְטִ֖ים (the judges) הֵיטֵ֑ב (thoroughly), וְהִנֵּ֤ה (and behold) עֵֽד־ (if the witness) שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ (is a false) הָעֵ֔ד (witness)— שֶׁ֖קֶר (a falsehood) עָנָ֥ה (he has testified) בְאָחִֽיו׃ (against his brother)—

19 וַעֲשִׂ֣יתֶם (then you⁺ shall do) ל֔וֹ (to him) כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) זָמַ֖ם (he thought) לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת (to have done) לְאָחִ֑יו (to his brother). וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ (And you shall put away) הָרָ֖ע (the evil) מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃ (from among you).

20 וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים (And those who remain) יִשְׁמְע֣וּ (shall hear) וְיִרָ֑אוּ (and fear), וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יֹסִ֨פוּ (they shall add) לַעֲשׂ֜וֹת (to do) ע֗וֹד (anymore) כַּדָּבָ֥ר (the thing) הָרָ֛ע (evil) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ׃ (among you).

21 וְלֹ֥א (And not) תָח֖וֹס (shall pity) עֵינֶ֑ךָ (your eye). נֶ֣פֶשׁ (Life) בְּנֶ֗פֶשׁ (for life), עַ֤יִן (eye) בְּעַ֙יִן֙ (for eye), שֵׁ֣ן (tooth) בְּשֵׁ֔ן (for tooth), יָ֥ד (hand) בְּיָ֖ד (for hand), רֶ֥גֶל (foot) בְּרָֽגֶל׃ס (for foot).