1 A nd the Lord said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho,

Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying,

2 C ommand the Israelites that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and pasturelands round about the cities’ walls you shall give to the Levites also.

“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 T hey shall have the cities to dwell in and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle, for their wealth, and for all their beasts.

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 A nd the pasturelands of the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall reach from the wall of the city and outward 1, 000 cubits round about.

“The pasture lands of the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits around.

5 Y ou shall measure from the wall of the city outward on the east, south, west, and north sides 2, 000 cubits, the city being in the center. This shall belong to as pasturelands for their cities.

You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two 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. Cities of Refuge

6 O f the cities which you shall give to the Levites there shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee into; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.

The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the six 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 S o all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight; you shall give them with their adjacent pasturelands.

All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, together with their pasture lands.

8 A s for the cities, you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many and from the smaller tribes few; each tribe shall give of its cities to the Levites in proportion to its inheritance.

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 A nd the Lord said to Moses,

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

10 S ay to the Israelites, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

“ Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11 T hen you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the slayer who kills any person unintentionally and unawares may flee there.

then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee there.

12 A nd the cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he has had a fair trial before the congregation.

The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.

13 A nd of the cities which you give there shall be your six cities for refuge.

The cities which you are to give shall be your six cities of refuge.

14 Y ou shall give three cities on this side of the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge.

You shall give three cities across the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge.

15 T hese six cities shall be a refuge for the Israelites and for the stranger and the temporary resident among them; that anyone who kills any person unintentionally and unawares may flee there.

These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

16 B ut if he struck him down with an instrument of iron so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

‘ But 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 A nd if he struck him down by throwing a stone, by which a person may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 O r if he struck him down with a weapon of wood in his hand, by which one may die, and he died, the offender is a murderer; he shall surely be put to death.

Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19 T he avenger of blood shall himself slay the murderer; when he meets him, he shall slay him.

The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him.

20 B ut if he stabbed him through hatred or hurled at him by lying in wait so that he died

If he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died,

21 O r in enmity struck him down with his hand so that he died, he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meets him.

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 B ut if he stabbed him suddenly without enmity or threw anything at or upon him without lying in wait

‘ But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something at him without lying in wait,

23 O r with any stone with which a man may be killed, not seeing him, and threw it at him so that he died, and was not his enemy nor sought to harm him,

or with any deadly object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury,

24 T hen the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances.

25 A nd the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood and restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled; and he shall live in it until the high priest dies, who was anointed with the sacred oil.

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 B ut if the slayer shall at any time come outside the limits of his city of refuge to which he had fled

But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee,

27 A nd the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge and kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood

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 B ecause the manslayer should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the high priest’s death the manslayer shall return to the land of his possession.

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 A nd these things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

‘These things shall be for a statutory ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30 W hoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

‘ If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

31 M oreover, you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.

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 A nd you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, so that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest.

You shall not take ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to live in the land before the death of the priest.

33 S o you shall not pollute the land in which you live; for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it.

So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.

34 A nd you shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.

You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’”