19 “‘The avenger+ of blood is the one who will put the murderer to death. When he chances upon him he himself will put him to death.

6 Otherwise, the avenger+ of blood* may, because his heart is hot, chase after the manslayer and actually overtake him, since the way is great; and he may indeed strike his soul fatally,* whereas there is no sentence of death+ for him, because he was no hater of him formerly.

9 These became the cities appointed for all the sons of Israel and for the alien resident who resides as an alien in their midst, for anyone to flee there who fatally strikes a soul unintentionally,+ that he may not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until his standing before the assembly.+