1 A nd the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying:

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

2 “ Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities.

“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 common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals.

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 T he common-land of the cities which you will give the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around.

“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 A nd you shall 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. The city shall be in the middle. This shall belong to them as common-land for the 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 “ Now among the cities which you will give to the Levites you shall appoint six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. And to these you shall add 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 you will give to the Levites shall be forty-eight; these you shall give with their common-land.

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

8 A nd the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.” Cities of Refuge

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 T hen the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

10 “ Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘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 appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally 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 T hey shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

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, you shall have six cities of refuge.

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

14 Y ou shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will 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 for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally 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 ‘ But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies, 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 strikes him with a stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, 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 strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer 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 himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

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

20 I f he pushes him out of hatred or, while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies,

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 he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one 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.

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 ‘ However, if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or throws anything at 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 uses a stone, by which a man could die, throwing it at him without seeing him, so that he dies, while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm,

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 manslayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments.

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

25 S o the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy 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 manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he 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 the avenger of blood 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 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 may 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 ‘ And these things shall be a statute of judgment 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 a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.

‘ 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 who is 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 take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the 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 where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except 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 T herefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell among the children 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.’”