[If] his sentence was passed without a Kohen Gadol, [or if] he killed a Kohen Gadol, or [if] a Kohen Gadol killed, he never leaves there. He may not leave there either for testimony related to a mitzvah, for testimony related to monetary cases, or for testi-mony related to capital cases. Even if Israel needs him, even if he is the general of the army of Israel like Yoav the son of Tzeruyah, he may never leave there, as it is said (Num. 35:25): Who fled there —- there shall be his dwelling; there shall be his death; there shall be his burial.  Just as the city affords refuge, so its boundaries afford refuge. [If] a murderer went out of the boundary, and the goel hadam encountered him —- R' Yose HaGlili says: It is an obligation upon the goel hadam [to kill him], and it is optional for anyone else. R' Akiva says: It is optional for the goel hadam, and anyone else is not liable for him.  [If] a tree was standing within the boundary and its branches extended beyond the boundary, or it was standing beyond the boundary and its branches extended into the boundary, everything follows the branches.  [If] he killed in that city, [he] is exiled from section to section; but a Levi is exiled from city to city.

Similarly, a murderer who went into exile in his city of refuge, and the people of the city wished to honor him, he should say to them, “I am a murderer.” [If] they said to him, “Even so,” he may accept [the honor] from them, as it is said (Deut. 19:4): And this is the matter of the murderer. They would pay rent to the Leviim; [these are] the words of R' Yehudah. R' Meir says: They would not pay them rent.  He returns to the office he had previously occupied; [these are] the words of R' Meir. R' Yehudah says: He would not return to the office he had occupied.