One Bible scholar wrote that if the fugitive neglected to approach the elders, “it was at his peril. ”
وَذَكَرَ أَحَدُ عُلَمَاءِ ٱلْكِتَابِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ أَنَّ ٱلْقَاتِلَ كَانَ يُعَرِّضُ حَيَاتَهُ لِلْخَطَرِ إِذَا لَمْ يَذْهَبْ إِلَى ٱلشُّيُوخِ .‏