4. Here is the rule concerning a person who killed someone and is permitted to escape to one of these cities and live:If it is someone who killed his neighbor accidentally, without having hated that person previously;
5. or if someone goes into the forest with a neighbor to chop some wood, and while swinging an ax to cut down the tree, the axhead flies off its handle and hits the neighbor, who subsequently dies—these kinds of killers may escape to one of these cities and live.
6. Otherwise, the blood avenger will chase after the killer out of rage and—especially if the distance to one of these cities is too far—might catch and kill him, even though a death sentence was not in order because the killer didn’t have prior malice toward the other.
7. This is why I am commanding you as follows: Designate three cities for your use.