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. ⁶ ·The killer [^LHe] must stay in the city until ·a court comes to a decision [^Lhe stands before the congregation for judgment] and until the high priest dies [Num. 35:25–28; ^Cthe high priest’s death may have marked a general amnesty]. Then he may go back home to the town from which he ran away.”

⁷ So the Israelites chose these cities to be cities of ·safety [refuge]: Kedesh in Galilee in the ·mountains [hill country] of Naphtali; Shechem in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim; Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron) in the ·mountains [hill country] of Judah;