Y el SEÑOR habló a Josué, diciendo: 2 Habla a los hijos de Israel, y diles: «^aDesignad¹ las ciudades de refugio de las cuales os hablé por medio² de Moisés, 3 para que huya allí el homicida que haya matado¹ a cualquier persona sin intención y sin premeditación²; ellas os servirán de refugio contra el vengador de la sangre. 4 Huirá a una de estas ciudades, se presentará a la entrada de la puerta de la ciudad^a y expondrá su caso a oídos de los ancianos de la ciudad;estos lo llevarán¹ con ellos dentro de la ciudad y le darán un lugar para que habite en medio de ellos. 5 Y si el vengador de la sangre lo persigue, ellos no entregarán al homicida en su mano^a, porque hirió¹ a su prójimo sin premeditación² y sin odiarlo de antemano. 6 Y habitará en esa ciudad^a hasta que comparezca en juicio delante de la congregación, y hasta la muerte del que sea sumo sacerdote en aquellos días. Entonces el homicida volverá¹ a su ciudad y a su casa, a la ciudad de donde huyó».

7 Y ellos separaron¹ a Cedes en Galilea^2a, en la región montañosa de Neftalí, y a Siquem en la región montañosa de Efraín, y a Quiriat-arba, es decir, Hebrón, en la región montañosa de Judá^b. 8 Y más allá del Jordán, al oriente de Jericó, designaron¹ a Beser en el desierto, en la llanura de la tribu de Rubén, a Ramot en Galaad, de la tribu de Gad, y a Golán en Basán, de la tribu de Manasés. 9 Estas fueron las ciudades designadas para todos los hijos de Israel y para el forastero que resida entre ellos, para que cualquiera que hubiera matado¹ a cualquier persona sin intención, pudiera huir allí, y no muriera a mano del vengador de la sangre hasta que hubiera comparecido ante la congregación^a.

The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the Israelites, saying, ‘Designate ^athe cities of refuge (asylum) , of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 so that the person (manslayer) who kills any person unintentionally, ¹without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall be your refuge from the ²blood avenger. Num 35:10ff 4 He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the ^agate of the city and ¹explain his case to the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the protection of the city and give him a place to stay, so that he may live among them. 5 ^aIf the blood avenger pursues him, they shall not hand the offender (manslayer) over to him, because he killed his neighbor ¹unintentionally and without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand. 6 He shall live in that city ^auntil he has stood before the congregation for judgment and ¹if acquitted of murder he must stay there, until the death of the one who is the high priest in those days. Then the offender (manslayer) shall return to his own city and his own house from which he fled.’”

7 So they set apart and consecrated ^aKedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) ^bin the hill country of Judah. 8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 9 ^aThese were the appointed cities for all the Israelites and for the stranger sojourning (living temporarily) among them, so that whoever killed any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the blood avenger until he had stood before the congregation for judgment.

Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘¹Designate ^athe cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you ²through Moses, 3 that the manslayer who ¹kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the ^agate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall ¹take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them. 5 Now ^aif the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand. 6 He shall dwell in that city ^auntil he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall ¹return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’”

7 So they ¹set apart ^aKedesh in ²Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in ^bthe hill country of Judah. 8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they ¹designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 9 ^aThese were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever ¹kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.