Deuteronomy 19:5-7

Christian Standard Bible

⁵ If, for example, he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber, and his hand swings the ax to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies, that person may flee to one of these cities and live. ⁶ Otherwise, the avenger of blood in the heat of his anger^[a] might pursue the one who committed manslaughter, overtake him because the distance is great, and strike him dead. Yet he did not deserve to die,^[b] since he did not previously hate his neighbor. ⁷ This is why I am commanding you to set apart three cities for yourselves.