"Thou shalt not kill." (Exodus 20:13) This is one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses for the people to govern themselves. The word "kill" has a more precise meaning when looked at in the Strong's Concordance. By studying the Hebrew definition. of "kill" #07523 we see that it really means murder.

Kill # 07523   //  xur  //  ratsach   //  raw-tsakh'  // a primitive root; TWOT - 2208; v
AV - slayer 16, murderer 14, kill 5, murder 3, slain 3, manslayer 2,
killing 1, slayer + 0310  1, slayeth 1, death 1; 47

1) to murder, slay, kill
1a) (Qal) to murder, slay
1a1) premeditated
1a2) accidental
1a3) as avenger
1a4) slayer (intentional) (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be slain
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to murder, assassinate
1c2) murderer, assassin (participle) (subst)
1d) (Pual) to be

     From the above definition, we see that one person is not to murder another or even accidentally take another's life. If a person committed either, God gave two solutions.

     One was to deal with an accidental death. The person responsible was to flee to a city of refuge. There were six such cities in Israel. As long as the person remained in the city, he had protection against the dead person's kin. The penalty that the person endured for his action was that he could not leave the city for the rest of his life. If he did leave the city, the dead person's kin were allowed to take his life. Their action was considered an execution, not murder. The execution sent a strong message that each person should care for their neighbor, and if not, never leave the city of refuge.

     The second was for premeditated murder. "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death." (Exodus 21:12) Again, look at the word "death" in the Strong's Concordance.

Death  # 04191
//  twm  //  muwth   //  mooth  // 
a primitive root; TWOT - 1169; v
AV - die 424, dead 130, slay 100, death 83, surely 50, kill 31,
dead man 3, dead body 2, in no wise 2, misc 10; 835

1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die

     "Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." (Genesis 9: 6) God sanctioned capital punishment and for good reason. "Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you." (Deuteronomy 19:19-20)