They will attack us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them.

Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the desert.

The five Amorite kings ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah.

So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai.

When the men of Ai turned around, they saw the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers.

I and all the troops who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them.

Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood.

As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

The one who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there.

He must remain in that city until his case is decided by the assembly and the high priest dies. Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.”

These were the cities of refuge appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.