"You're driving me from the soil today. I'll be hidden from you, and I'll wander throughout the earth as a fugitive. In the future, whoever finds me will kill me."

Also, I will certainly demand an accounting regarding bloodshed, from every animal and from every human being. I'll demand an accounting from every human being for the life of another human being. "Whoever sheds human blood, by a human his own blood is to be shed; because God made human beings in his own image.

"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies is certainly to be put to death. If he didn't lie in wait, but God let him fall into his reach, then I'll appoint for you a place to which he may flee. read more. If a man acts deliberately against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you are to take him to die even if he's at my altar.

"If a man beats a human being to death, he is certainly to be executed,

Then the LORD told Moses, "Tell the Israelis that when they have crossed the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, read more. they are to designate some towns of refuge so that anyone who kills someone inadvertently may flee there. They are to serve as cities of refuge from a blood avenger in order to keep the inadvertent killer from dying until he has stood trial in the presence of the community. You are to set aside six towns of refuge. Appoint three towns this side of the Jordan River and three towns in the land of Canaan to serve as the towns of refuge, that is, places of refuge for the Israelis, the resident alien, and any travelers among them. Anyone who kills a person inadvertently may flee there." "Whoever uses an iron implement to kill someone is to be adjudged a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. Furthermore, whoever uses a stone implement to kill someone is to be adjudged a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. Also, whoever uses a wooden implement to kill someone with it is to be adjudged a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. The blood avenger himself is to execute the murderer. When he meets him, the blood avenger is to put him to death. If the killer shoved his victim out of hatred, or hurled something at him while waiting in ambush so that he died, or if he struck him with his hand out of hatred so that he died, then the killer is certainly to be put to death for murder. The avenger of blood is to put him to death when he meets him." "But if he pushed him suddenly without hatred, or if he hurled something in his direction without waiting in ambush, or if he hit him with a stone carelessly so that he was fatally injured, though he isn't his enemy and he wasn't seeking to commit evil against him, then the community is to judge between the inadvertent killer and the blood avenger, following these ordinances. The community is to release the inadvertent killer from the blood avenger and return him to the town of refuge where he had fled. He is to live there until the High Priest dies, who will have anointed him with holy oil. But if the inadvertent killer leaves the town of refuge where he had fled and the blood avenger finds him outside the town of refuge where he had fled and kills him, the blood avenger is not to be found guilty of murder. The inadvertent killer is to live in the town of refuge until the High Priest dies. After the death of the High Priest, the inadvertent killer is to return to the land of his inheritance. These are to be the statutes and ordinances for you throughout all your generations, regardless of where you live." "Every murderer of a human being is to be executed only according to testimony given by multiple witnesses. A single witness is not to result in a death sentence.

"Every murderer of a human being is to be executed only according to testimony given by multiple witnesses. A single witness is not to result in a death sentence. You are to receive no ransom for the life of a killer who is guilty of murder; instead, he is to die. read more. You are not to receive payment of a ransom for someone who had fled to a town of refuge but then left to live in his homeland before the death of the high priest. You are not to pollute the land where you live, because blood defiles the land, and the land cannot atone for blood that has been spilled on it, except through the blood of the one who spilled it. You are not to defile the land where you will be living, because I'm living among you. I am the LORD, who lives in Israel."

"When the LORD your God destroys those nations whose lands he is about to give you, you must dispossess them and live in their cities and houses. You must reserve three cities within the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess. read more. Build roads throughout the land that the LORD your God is providing as an inheritance, and then divide it into three districts so that any killer may flee there. "Now this is the situation for any killer who flees there to live: suppose he strikes his friend unwittingly, not having hated him previously. For instance, he may have accompanied his friend to go to a forest to cut trees. Then he swung his axe to cut some wood, but the ax head flew off the handle and hit his friend, so that he died. The killer may flee to one of these cities to live. Since hile the distance may be great, the angry avenger may overtake the killer he is pursuing and kill him, in which case there will be no justice in his death, because he did not hate his friend previously. Therefore I am commanding you to reserve three cities." "Now if the LORD enlarges your territories just as he promised your ancestors and gives you all the land that he promised, and if you are careful to observe all these commands that I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God and to walk daily in his ways then add three more cities in addition to these three cities. You must not shed innocent blood on your land that the LORD your God is about to give you as an inheritance. Otherwise, you'll be guilty of murder." "However, if a person hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, and attacks him so that he dies, and then he flees to one of those cities, then the elders of his own city shall send for him, remove him from there, and deliver him to the related avenger for execution. Have no pity on him, but totally purge the shedding of innocent blood from Israel so that life may go well with you."

"If a murder victim is found fallen in the open country of the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess, and it is not known who killed him, then let your elders and judges go out and measure the distance from the dead body to the neighboring cities. read more. Then the elders of the city nearest the body are to take a heifer that hasn't been put to work or hasn't pulled a yoke and are to lead the heifer to a flowing stream in a valley that has never been tilled or planted. They are to break the heifer's neck there. Then the priests of the descendants of Levi are to step forward, because the LORD your God chose them to serve and pronounce blessings in his name. Every case of dispute and assault is to be subject to their ruling. All the elders of the city nearest the dead body are to wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime. Make atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and don't charge the blood of an innocent man against them.' Then the blood that has been shed will be atoned for. This is how you will remove the guilt of innocent blood from among you, for you must do what is right in the sight of the LORD."

"Sing for joy, nations! Sing for joy, people who belong to him! For he'll avenge the blood of his servants, turn on his adversary, and cleanse both his land and his people."

When the priests who carried the ark entered the Jordan River, as their feet touched the water's edge (The Jordan River overflows all of its banks daily during the harvest season.),

Saul told his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised people will come and run me through and make sport of me." But his armor bearer did not want to do it because he was very frightened, so Saul took the sword and fell on it.

As an avenger of blood, he remembers them; he has not forgotten the cry of the afflicted.

But you, God, bring them down to the Pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful people will not live out half their days. But I put my full confidence in you. To the Director: A special Davidic psalm to the tune of "A Silent Dove Far Away," when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

The LORD told Hosea, "Name the child "Jezreel,' because in a little while I'll avenge the blood that was shed by Jehu's dynasty at Jezreel. I'll put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.

"You have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, "You are not to commit murder,' and, "Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.' But I say to you, anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be subject to punishment. And whoever says to his brother "Raka!' will be subject to the Council. And whoever says, "You fool!' will be subject to hell fire.

You belong to your father the Devil, and you want to carry out the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and has never stood for truth, since there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

(Now this man bought a field with the money he got for his crime. Falling on his face, he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines gushed out.

When the people who lived there saw the snake hanging from his hand, they told one another, "This man must be a murderer! He may have escaped from the sea, but Justice won't let him live."

Outside are dogs, sorcerers, immoral people, murderers, idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Also, I will certainly demand an accounting regarding bloodshed, from every animal and from every human being. I'll demand an accounting from every human being for the life of another human being. "Whoever sheds human blood, by a human his own blood is to be shed; because God made human beings in his own image.

"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies is certainly to be put to death.

If a man acts deliberately against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you are to take him to die even if he's at my altar. "Whoever strikes his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death. read more. "Whoever kidnaps a person, whether he has sold him or whether the victim is still in his possession, is certainly to be put to death. "Whoever curses his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death.

"If a man beats a human being to death, he is certainly to be executed,

"Whoever uses an iron implement to kill someone is to be adjudged a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death.

Also, whoever uses a wooden implement to kill someone with it is to be adjudged a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. The blood avenger himself is to execute the murderer. When he meets him, the blood avenger is to put him to death. read more. If the killer shoved his victim out of hatred, or hurled something at him while waiting in ambush so that he died, or if he struck him with his hand out of hatred so that he died, then the killer is certainly to be put to death for murder. The avenger of blood is to put him to death when he meets him."

or if he struck him with his hand out of hatred so that he died, then the killer is certainly to be put to death for murder. The avenger of blood is to put him to death when he meets him." "But if he pushed him suddenly without hatred, or if he hurled something in his direction without waiting in ambush, read more. or if he hit him with a stone carelessly so that he was fatally injured, though he isn't his enemy and he wasn't seeking to commit evil against him, then the community is to judge between the inadvertent killer and the blood avenger, following these ordinances. The community is to release the inadvertent killer from the blood avenger and return him to the town of refuge where he had fled. He is to live there until the High Priest dies, who will have anointed him with holy oil. But if the inadvertent killer leaves the town of refuge where he had fled and the blood avenger finds him outside the town of refuge where he had fled and kills him, the blood avenger is not to be found guilty of murder. The inadvertent killer is to live in the town of refuge until the High Priest dies. After the death of the High Priest, the inadvertent killer is to return to the land of his inheritance. These are to be the statutes and ordinances for you throughout all your generations, regardless of where you live." "Every murderer of a human being is to be executed only according to testimony given by multiple witnesses. A single witness is not to result in a death sentence. You are to receive no ransom for the life of a killer who is guilty of murder; instead, he is to die.

Based on the testimony of two or three witnesses, they must surely die. But they are not to die based on the testimony of one person. Let the witnesses be the first to begin executing them, then the rest of the people shall follow. By doing this you will purge evil from among you." read more. "If a case is too difficult for you to decide with respect to bloodshed, civil claims, assault and battery, or other matters of dispute within your courts, bring it to the place that the LORD your God will choose. Present the case to the Levitical priest or the judge at that time. When you have inquired and they have announced the verdict, carry out the verdict that was declared to you at the place that the LORD will choose. Carefully observe all of their instructions to you in accordance with what the Law says, and in accordance with the verdict that will be handed to you. You must not deviate from the verdict that they declare to you either to the right or to the left. If a man presumptuously disregards the priest who is serving the LORD your God there or the judge, that person must die so you will purge evil from Israel.

"However, if a person hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, and attacks him so that he dies, and then he flees to one of those cities,

Have no pity on him, but totally purge the shedding of innocent blood from Israel so that life may go well with you."

"If a murder victim is found fallen in the open country of the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess, and it is not known who killed him, then let your elders and judges go out and measure the distance from the dead body to the neighboring cities. read more. Then the elders of the city nearest the body are to take a heifer that hasn't been put to work or hasn't pulled a yoke and are to lead the heifer to a flowing stream in a valley that has never been tilled or planted. They are to break the heifer's neck there. Then the priests of the descendants of Levi are to step forward, because the LORD your God chose them to serve and pronounce blessings in his name. Every case of dispute and assault is to be subject to their ruling. All the elders of the city nearest the dead body are to wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime. Make atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and don't charge the blood of an innocent man against them.' Then the blood that has been shed will be atoned for. This is how you will remove the guilt of innocent blood from among you, for you must do what is right in the sight of the LORD."

""Cursed is the one who treats his father and mother with dishonor.' "Then all the people are to respond by saying, "Amen!'

So take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe.

When the priests who carried the ark entered the Jordan River, as their feet touched the water's edge (The Jordan River overflows all of its banks daily during the harvest season.),

You belong to your father the Devil, and you want to carry out the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and has never stood for truth, since there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Also, I will certainly demand an accounting regarding bloodshed, from every animal and from every human being. I'll demand an accounting from every human being for the life of another human being. "Whoever sheds human blood, by a human his own blood is to be shed; because God made human beings in his own image.

"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies is certainly to be put to death.

"If a man strikes his male or female servant with a stick and he or she dies as a direct result, the master must be punished. But if the servant survives a day or two, the master is not to be punished because the servant is his property.

"If an ox gores a man or woman so that they die, the ox is certainly to be stoned and its flesh may not be eaten, but the owner of the ox is free from liability.

"If a thief is found while breaking into a house, and is struck down and dies, it is not a capital crime in that case, but if the sun has risen on him, then it is a capital crime in that case. A thief shall certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he is to be sold for his theft.

The blood avenger himself is to execute the murderer. When he meets him, the blood avenger is to put him to death. If the killer shoved his victim out of hatred, or hurled something at him while waiting in ambush so that he died, read more. or if he struck him with his hand out of hatred so that he died, then the killer is certainly to be put to death for murder. The avenger of blood is to put him to death when he meets him." "But if he pushed him suddenly without hatred, or if he hurled something in his direction without waiting in ambush, or if he hit him with a stone carelessly so that he was fatally injured, though he isn't his enemy and he wasn't seeking to commit evil against him, then the community is to judge between the inadvertent killer and the blood avenger, following these ordinances. The community is to release the inadvertent killer from the blood avenger and return him to the town of refuge where he had fled. He is to live there until the High Priest dies, who will have anointed him with holy oil. But if the inadvertent killer leaves the town of refuge where he had fled and the blood avenger finds him outside the town of refuge where he had fled and kills him, the blood avenger is not to be found guilty of murder. The inadvertent killer is to live in the town of refuge until the High Priest dies. After the death of the High Priest, the inadvertent killer is to return to the land of his inheritance. These are to be the statutes and ordinances for you throughout all your generations, regardless of where you live." "Every murderer of a human being is to be executed only according to testimony given by multiple witnesses. A single witness is not to result in a death sentence.

You are not to pollute the land where you live, because blood defiles the land, and the land cannot atone for blood that has been spilled on it, except through the blood of the one who spilled it. You are not to defile the land where you will be living, because I'm living among you. I am the LORD, who lives in Israel."

Based on the testimony of two or three witnesses, they must surely die. But they are not to die based on the testimony of one person. Let the witnesses be the first to begin executing them, then the rest of the people shall follow. By doing this you will purge evil from among you." read more. "If a case is too difficult for you to decide with respect to bloodshed, civil claims, assault and battery, or other matters of dispute within your courts, bring it to the place that the LORD your God will choose. Present the case to the Levitical priest or the judge at that time. When you have inquired and they have announced the verdict, carry out the verdict that was declared to you at the place that the LORD will choose. Carefully observe all of their instructions to you in accordance with what the Law says, and in accordance with the verdict that will be handed to you. You must not deviate from the verdict that they declare to you either to the right or to the left. If a man presumptuously disregards the priest who is serving the LORD your God there or the judge, that person must die so you will purge evil from Israel.

then the elders of his own city shall send for him, remove him from there, and deliver him to the related avenger for execution.

then both must stand with their dispute in the LORD's presence, the priests, and the judges at that time.

"If a murder victim is found fallen in the open country of the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess, and it is not known who killed him, then let your elders and judges go out and measure the distance from the dead body to the neighboring cities. read more. Then the elders of the city nearest the body are to take a heifer that hasn't been put to work or hasn't pulled a yoke and are to lead the heifer to a flowing stream in a valley that has never been tilled or planted. They are to break the heifer's neck there. Then the priests of the descendants of Levi are to step forward, because the LORD your God chose them to serve and pronounce blessings in his name. Every case of dispute and assault is to be subject to their ruling. All the elders of the city nearest the dead body are to wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime. Make atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and don't charge the blood of an innocent man against them.' Then the blood that has been shed will be atoned for. This is how you will remove the guilt of innocent blood from among you, for you must do what is right in the sight of the LORD."

Then David called out to one of his young men and ordered him, "Go up to him and cut him down!" So he attacked him and killed him. David told him, "Your blood is on your own head, because your own words testified against you! After all, you said, "I myself have killed the LORD's anointed!'"

Meanwhile, King David longed to visit Absalom, since he was moved to compassion over Amnon's death.

Now please pay attention closely! My whole family is attacking your humble servant! They're saying, "Turn over the one who attacked his brother and we'll put him to death in retribution for his brother, whose life he took. That way, we'll kill the heir also!' They're going to extinguish the only light left in my family, leaving my late husband neither an ongoing name nor a survivor on the face of the earth!" Then the king replied to the woman, "Go home and I'll issue a special order just for you." read more. But the woman from Tekoa told the king, "Your majesty, let any guilt for this be on me and on my ancestors' household, and not on my king or his throne!" The king replied, "Bring anyone who talks to you about this to me, and he certainly won't be bothering you anymore!" Then she said, "Your majesty, please remember the LORD your God, so that blood avengers don't do any more damage! Otherwise, they'll destroy my son!" So he promised, "As the LORD lives, not even a single hair from your son's head will fall to the ground!"

"Furthermore, you're aware of what Zeruiah's son Joab did to me and to those two commanders of the armies of Israel, Ner's son Abner and Jether's son Amasa, whom he killed, and how he shed the blood of wartime during times of peace, staining the very belt he wears around his waist and the sandals he wears on his feet. So act consistently with your wisdom, and don't let him die as a peaceful old man.

The king replied to him, "Do just what he asked. Kill him and bury him so that you may remove from me and from my father's household the guilt that Joab shed needlessly.

Jehoiada's son Benaiah then approached Joab, attacked him, killed him, and had him buried at Joab's home in the wilderness.

But this message from the LORD came to me, telling me

As an avenger of blood, he remembers them; he has not forgotten the cry of the afflicted.

You belong to your father the Devil, and you want to carry out the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and has never stood for truth, since there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Do not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because what he was doing was evil and his brother's actions were righteous.

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life present in him.

Lamech told his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to what I have to say: You wives of Lamech, hear what I'm announcing! I've killed a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.

Also, I will certainly demand an accounting regarding bloodshed, from every animal and from every human being. I'll demand an accounting from every human being for the life of another human being. "Whoever sheds human blood, by a human his own blood is to be shed; because God made human beings in his own image.

For they are God's servants, working for your good.

"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies is certainly to be put to death.

If a man acts deliberately against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you are to take him to die even if he's at my altar.

"If a thief is found while breaking into a house, and is struck down and dies, it is not a capital crime in that case, but if the sun has risen on him, then it is a capital crime in that case. A thief shall certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he is to be sold for his theft.

"If a man beats a human being to death, he is certainly to be executed,

Whoever beats an animal to death is to replace it, but whoever beats a human being to death is to be put to death.

Meanwhile, King David longed to visit Absalom, since he was moved to compassion over Amnon's death.

Now please pay attention closely! My whole family is attacking your humble servant! They're saying, "Turn over the one who attacked his brother and we'll put him to death in retribution for his brother, whose life he took. That way, we'll kill the heir also!' They're going to extinguish the only light left in my family, leaving my late husband neither an ongoing name nor a survivor on the face of the earth!"

Then she said, "Your majesty, please remember the LORD your God, so that blood avengers don't do any more damage! Otherwise, they'll destroy my son!" So he promised, "As the LORD lives, not even a single hair from your son's head will fall to the ground!"

The inadvertent killer is to live in the town of refuge until the High Priest dies. After the death of the High Priest, the inadvertent killer is to return to the land of his inheritance.

"If a murder victim is found fallen in the open country of the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess, and it is not known who killed him, then let your elders and judges go out and measure the distance from the dead body to the neighboring cities. read more. Then the elders of the city nearest the body are to take a heifer that hasn't been put to work or hasn't pulled a yoke and are to lead the heifer to a flowing stream in a valley that has never been tilled or planted. They are to break the heifer's neck there. Then the priests of the descendants of Levi are to step forward, because the LORD your God chose them to serve and pronounce blessings in his name. Every case of dispute and assault is to be subject to their ruling. All the elders of the city nearest the dead body are to wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime. Make atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and don't charge the blood of an innocent man against them.' Then the blood that has been shed will be atoned for.