Numbers 35:16

Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.

For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David’s house.

“One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,

“ ‘He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death.

But to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, you shall seek his habitation, and you shall come there.

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.

But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

“Yahweh of Armies says: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

then it shall happen that to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the wave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which you vow to Yahweh.

Don’t receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.

“No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”

Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

“If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished.

“If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman’s husband demands and the judges allow.

“If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall not be held responsible.

If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.

then you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

“ ‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain based on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify alone against any person so that he dies.

You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”

then you shall inquire, investigate, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination was done among you,

If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses.

This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past—

Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.

then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who shall be in those days;

‘Cursed is he who secretly kills his neighbor.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.

For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies.

“Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”

If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.

I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”