That the manslayer might flee there who kills his neighbor unintentionally: the meaning of the text is clear and should be expressed naturally: “so that anyone who accidentally kills another person can flee there and be safe [or, find safety].”

Another qualification is added, without being at enmity with him in the past, to make quite clear that this law has nothing to do with premeditated murder. New International Version uses standard legal language: “unintentionally … without malice aforethought.” Good News Translation is simpler with “accidentally killed someone who had not been his enemy.”

By fleeing to one of these cities he might save his life: the underlying assumption is that a member of the dead person’s family would seek to kill the man, even though the killing had been accidental. In the city of refuge he would be safe. A fuller treatment is given in 19.1-13.

An alternative translation model for languages that do not have the passive voice is the following:

• He could escape to any of these towns and they [unknown agents] cannot execute him.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .