כִּֽי־יַכְרִ֞ית יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ אֶת־אַרְצָ֑ם וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֕ם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֥ בְעָרֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְבָתֵּיהֶֽם׃
當永恆者你的上帝剪除那些列國——永恆者你的上帝要將他們的地賜給你——你得了他們的地，住在他們的城邑和房屋中的時候，
English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Introduction The second chapter of Makkoth discusses the laws regarding accidental killing. These laws are discussed extensively in Numbers 35:9-28, 32 and Deuteronomy 19:1-13. According to these passages, if a person killed another person by accident the victim’s relative could exact blood vengeance upon the accidental killer. If the accidental killer wanted to avoid being killed by the blood avenger he would run to one of the cities of refuge that were to be established when the Land of Israel was conquered. The accidental killer would have to stay in this city until the death of the High Priest at which point he could return to his former city and the blood avenger would be forbidden from killing him. The mishnah which we will learn today defines what killing is considered accidental such that it allows a killer to escape to a city of refuge.