^aNow the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities. 3 The cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their equipment and for all their other animals.

4 “The pasture lands of the cities which you are to give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city ¹outward a thousand cubits around. 5 You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.

6 The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the ^asix cities of refuge, which you shall provide for the one who commits manslaughter to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 The total number of the cities which you are to give to the Levites shall be ^aforty-eight cities, ¹together with their pasture lands. 8 ^aAs for the cities which you shall give them from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger, and you shall take fewer from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his inheritance which he possesses.”

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “^aSpeak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 ^athen you shall select for yourselves cities to be your ^bcities of refuge, so that the one who commits manslaughter by ¹killing a person ^cunintentionally may flee there. 12 ^aThe cities shall ¹serve you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who commits manslaughter does not die until he stands before the congregation for ²trial. 13 So the cities which you are to provide shall be six cities of refuge for you. 14 You ^ashall provide three cities across the Jordan, and three cities ¹in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be a refuge for the sons of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreign resident among them; so that anyone who ¹kills a person ^aunintentionally may flee there.

16 ‘^aBut if he struck him with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death. 17 And if he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer ^amust be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death. 19 The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he himself shall put him to death when he meets him. 20 Now ^aif he pushed him in hatred, or he threw something at him ^1bwith malicious intent, and as a result he died, 21 or if he struck him with his hand with hostility, and as a result he died, the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer. The blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 ‘^aBut if he pushed him suddenly, without hostility, or threw any object at him without ¹malicious intent, 23 or had any ¹deadly stone, and without looking he dropped it on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor was he seeking ²to harm him, 24 then ^athe congregation shall judge between the one who fatally struck the victim and the blood avenger in accordance with these ordinances. 25 And the congregation shall save the one who committed manslaughter from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall return him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if at any time ¹he goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he flees, 27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills ¹him, he ²will not be guilty of bloodshed, 28 because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the one who committed manslaughter may return to the land of his property.

29 ‘These things shall be a ^astatutory ordinance for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.

30 ‘^aIf anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the ¹testimony of witnesses, but ^bno person shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who is ¹condemned to death, but he must be put to death. 32 And you shall not accept a ransom for one who has fled to his city of refuge, so that he may return to live in the land ¹before the death of the priest. 33 ^aSo you shall not defile the land in which you live; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except ^bby the blood of the one who shed it. 34 So you shall not ^adefile the land in which you live, in the midst of which ^bI dwell; for I the LORD am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’”

^aNow Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities. 3 And the cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their herds and for all their beasts.

4 “And the pasture lands of the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city ¹outward ²one thousand cubits around. 5 You shall also measure outside the city on the east side ¹two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.

6 And the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the ^asix cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be ^aforty-eight cities, ¹together with their pasture lands. 8 ^aNow as for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger, and you shall take less from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his possession which he inherits.”

9 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “^aSpeak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 ^athen you shall select for yourselves cities to be your ^bcities of refuge, that the manslayer who has struck down any person ^cunintentionally may flee there. 12 ^aAnd the cities shall be for you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. 13 And the cities which you are to give shall be your six cities of refuge. 14 You ^ashall give three cities across the Jordan and three cities ¹in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel and for the sojourner and for the foreign resident among them; that anyone who strikes a person down ^aunintentionally may flee there.

16 ‘^aBut if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer ^ashall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. 20 ^aAnd if he pushed him of hatred or threw something at him ^blying in wait and as a result he died, 21 or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 ‘^aBut if he pushed him suddenly without enmity or threw something at him without lying in wait, 23 or with any stone—by which one might die, yet without seeing—and it fell upon him, and he died, but he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury, 24 then ^athe congregation shall judge between the ¹slayer and the blood avenger according to these legal judgments. 25 And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee, 27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he will not be guilty of blood 28 because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return to the land of his possession.

29 ‘And these things shall be for a ^astatutory judgment to you throughout your generations in all your places of habitation.

30 ‘^aIf anyone strikes down a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the mouth of witnesses, but ^bno person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. 32 And you shall not take ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to live in the land ¹before the death of the priest. 33 ^aSo you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land, and no propitiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except ^bby the blood of him who shed it. 34 And you shall not ^adefile the land in which you live, in the midst of which ^bI dwell; for I Yahweh am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’”