1 ¶ And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan of Jericho, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

2 C ommand the sons of Israel that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in, and ye shall give also unto the Levites the suburbs of those cities round about them.

“Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in. You shall give suburbs for the cities around them to the Levites.

3 A nd they shall have the cities to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their animals and for their substance and for all their beasts.

They shall have the cities to dwell in. Their suburbs shall be for their livestock, and for their possessions, and for all their animals.

4 A nd the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.

“The suburbs of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits around it.

5 T hen ye shall measure from outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the side of the Negev two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.

You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall be the suburbs of their cities.

6 A nd among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint so that the manslayer may flee there; and in addition to them ye shall give them forty-two cities.

“The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the man slayer to flee to. Besides them you shall give forty-two cities.

7 S o all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, the cities with their suburbs.

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

8 A nd the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the sons of Israel; from those that have much ye shall give many; but from those that have few ye shall give few, each one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his possession which he inherited.

Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many; and from the few you shall take few. Everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give some of his cities to the Levites.”

9 ¶ And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

10 S peak unto the sons of Israel and say unto them, When ye have passed the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11 t hen ye shall appoint yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you that the manslayer who kills any person unawares may flee there.

then you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

12 A nd they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger that the manslayer not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

13 A nd of these cities which ye shall give, six cities shall ye have for refuge.

The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.

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

You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and you shall give three cities in the land of Canaan. They shall be cities of refuge.

15 T hese six cities shall be a refuge, both for the sons of Israel and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them that anyone that kills another person unawares may flee there.

For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the foreigner living among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

16 A nd if he smites him with an instrument of iron so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

“‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

17 A nd if he smites him by throwing a stone with which he may die, and he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 O r if he smites him with a hand weapon of wood with which he may die, and he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

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

The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death. When he meets him, he shall put him to death.

20 B ut if he thrusts him out of hatred or hurls at him by laying in wait, so that he dies

If he shoved him out of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died,

21 o r out of enmity smites him with his hand so that he dies, he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer; the kinsman avenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meets him.

or in hostility struck him with his hand, so that he died, he who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.

22 B ut if he thrusts him suddenly without enmity, or has cast upon him any thing without laying in wait,

“‘But if he shoved him suddenly without hostility, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait,

23 o r with any stone, with which a man may die, seeing him not and casts it upon him that he dies, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm,

or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;

24 t hen the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the kinsman avenger of blood according to these laws.

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

25 A nd the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the kinsman avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, where he has fled, and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

The congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he had fled. He shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

26 B ut if the manslayer shall at any time come outside the border of the city of his refuge where he has fled,

“‘But if the man slayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, where he flees,

27 a nd the kinsman avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the city of his refuge, and the kinsman avenger of blood slays the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of his blood.

and the avenger of blood finds him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the man slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood,

28 H e should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return into 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 man slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

29 S o these things shall be for a statute of rights unto you throughout your ages in all your dwellings.

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

30 W hoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses, but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

“‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

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

“‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.

32 A nd ye shall take no ransom for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

“‘You shall take no ransom for him who is fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

33 S o ye shall not pollute the land where ye are, for this blood shall defile the land; and the land cannot be reconciled of the blood that is shed therein except by the blood of the one that shed it.

“‘So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it.

34 D efile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the sons of Israel.

You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, in the middle of which I dwell; for I, Yahweh, dwell in the middle of the children of Israel.’”