Numbers · Chapter 35

[ edit] Theſe þingis forſoþe ſpak þe Lord to Moyſes, in þe wijlde feeldis of Moab, vpon Jordan, aȝens Jerycho, Comaunde to þe ſones of Irael, þat þei ȝyuen to þe Leuytis, of her poſſeſſiouns, citees to dwellen yn, and þe ſuburbs of hem bi enuyroun, þat þei dwellen in wallid towns, and þe ſuburbis ben to feelde beeſtis, and houſbeeſtis; þe whiche fro þe wallis of þe citees wiþ outen forþ bi enuyroun ben ſtretchid, bi ſpace of a þowſand paaſe; aȝens þe eeſt, two þowſand ſhulen be þe cubitis, and aȝens þe ſouþ, alſo two þowſand; forſoþe at þe ſee þat biholdiþ to þe weſt, þe ſame meſure ſhal be, and þe norþ plage bi euen teerme ſhal be eendid.

And citees ſhulen be in þe myddil, and ſuburbis wiþoute. Forſoþe of þilk wallid townes alſo to þe Leuytes ȝe ſhulen ȝyue, ſix ſhal be ſeuerd into þe helpes of fugityues, þat he þat ſhediþ blood, fleeȝ to hem; and out taken hem, oþir two and fourti wallid townes, þat ben to gidre eiȝt and fourti, wiþ her ſuburbis. And þilk citees þat ſhulen be ȝeuen, of þe poſſeſſiouns of þe ſones of Yrael, of hem þat more han, mo ſhulen be take awey, and þat laſſe, fewer; eche aftir þe meſure of her herytage, ſhulen ȝyue wallid townes to þe Leuytes.

Þe Lord ſeiþ to Moyſes, Spek to þe ſones of Yrael, and þow ſhalt ſeye to hem, Whanne ȝe goon ouer Jordan, into þe loond of Chanaan, biholdiþ what citees owen to be into þe helpis of fugityues, þat not wilnyng ſheeden blood. In þe whiche whanne þe forþ fleer fleeȝiþ, þe coſyn of þe ſlayn man ſhal not mowe ſlee hym, to þe tyme þat he ſtoond in þe ſiȝt of þe multitude, and þe cauſe of hym be demed. Of þilk forſoþe citees þat ben ſeuerd to þe helpis of þe fugityues, þre ſhulen be beȝonde Jordan, and þree in þe loond of Chanaan; as wel to þe ſones of Yrael as to comlyngis and pilgrimes; þat he fleeȝ to hem, þe which not wilnynge ſhediþ blood.

If eny man ſmytiþ a man wiþ yren, and were deed, he þat is ſmyter ſhal be gilti of mannus ſlauȝter, and he ſhal dye. If a ſtoon he þrowe, and wiþ þe caſt ſleeþ, lijk maner he ſhal be puniſhid. If wiþ a tree ſmyten he dye, in blood of þe ſmyter he ſhal be vengid. Þe nyȝ kynne of þe ſlayn þe man ſleer ſhal ſlee; anoon as he catchiþ hym, he ſhal ſlee. If bi haat eny man a man aȝen puttiþ, oþer þrowiþ eny þing into hym bi aſpies, oþer whanne he were enemye wiþ hoond ſmytiþ, and he were deed, þe ſmyter ſhal be gilti of manſlauȝter. Anoon þe coſyn of þe ſlayn, whanne he fyndiþ hym, ſhal kyt his þroot.

And if bi hap, and wiþ outen haat and enemytees, eny þing of þeſe doþ; and þat herynge þe puple were pryuyd, and bitwix þe ſmyter and þe nyȝ of þe blood þe queſtyoun were meuyd, þe innocent ſhal be delyuerd fro þe hoond of þe vengeſour, and he ſhal be brouȝt aȝen bi ſentence into þe cytee, to þe which he fleeȝ, and he ſhal dwelle þere, to þe tyme þat þe greet preeſt þat wiþ hooli oyle is anoynt, dye.

If þe ſleer out of þe cooſtis of þe cytees þat to outlawis ben ordeynd, were foundun, and ſmytun of hym þat is vengeſour of þe blood, wiþouten gilt ſhal he be þat ſlewe hym; þe forþ fleer forſoþe ſhulde vnto þe deeþ of þe biſſhop in þis citee dwelle ſtil; aftirward forſoþe þat he dye, þe manſleer ſhal turne aȝen in his loond. Þes þingis euerlaſtynge ſhulen be, and lawful in alle ȝoure dwellyngis. A manſleer vndur witneſſe, ſhal be puniſhid; at þe witneſſynge of oon no man ſhal be condempnyd. Ȝe ſhulen not take prijs of hym þat is gilti of blood, anoon and he ſhal dye.

Outlawis, and ferre fleeȝers, before þe deeþ of þe biſſhop no wiſe into her citees mowen turne aȝen, leſt ȝe poluten þe loond of ȝoure dwellynge, þe which is defoulid bi þe blood of þe innocentis, ne oþer wayes may be purgyd, but bi his blood, þat þat oþers blood ſhedde. And ſo ſhal be clenſid ȝoure poſſeſſioun, me dwellynge wiþ ȝou; forſoþe Y am þe Lord, þat dwelle among þe ſones of Iſrael.