1And the LORD spake unto Moses in the fields of Moab by Jordan Jericho saying:
2command the children 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 cities of the Levites, suburbs round about them.
3The cities shall be for them to dwell in, and the suburbs for their cattle, possession and all manner beasts of theirs.
4And the suburbs of the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward, a thousand cubits round about.
5And ye shall measure without the city, and make the utmost border of the east side: two thousand cubits. And the utmost border of the south side: two thousand cubits. And the utmost border of the west side: two thousand cubits. And the utmost border of the north side: two thousand cubits also: and the city shall be in the midst. And these shall be the suburbs of their cities.
6And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, there shall be six cities of franchise which ye shall give to that intent that he which killeth, may fly thither. And to them ye shall add forty two cities more:(mo)
7so that all the cities which ye shall give the Levites shall be forty eight with their suburbs.
8And of the cities which ye shall give out of the possessions of the children of Israel, ye shall give many out of their possessions that have much and few out of their possessions that have little: so that every tribe shall give of his cities unto the Levites, according to the inheritance which he inheriteth.
9And the LORD spake unto Moses saying:
10speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them: when ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11ye shall build cities which shall be privileged towns for you: that he which slayeth a man unawares, may fly thither.
12And the cities shall be to flee from the executer of blood, that he which killed die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgement.
13And of these six free cities
14which ye shall give three ye shall give on this side Jordan and three in the land of Canaan.
15And these six free cities shall be for the children of Israel and for the stranger and for him that dwelleth among you, that all they which kill any person unawares, may flee thither.
16If any man smite another with a weapon of iron that he die, then he is a murderer, and shall die for it.
17If he smite him with a throwing stone that he die therewith, then he shall die: For he is a murderer and shall be slain therefore.
18If he smite him with a hand weapon of wood that he die therewith, then he shall die: for he is a murderer and shall be slain therefore.
19The judge(justice) of blood shall slay the murderer, as soon as he findeth him:
20If he thrust him of hate, or hurl at him with laying of wait that he die
21or smite him with his hand of envy that he die, he that smote him shall die, for he is a murderer. The justice of blood shall slay him as soon as he findeth him.
22But and if he pushed him by chance and not of hate or cast at him with any manner of thing and not of laying of wait:
23or cast any manner of stone at him that he die therewith, and saw him not: And he cast it upon him and he died, but was not his enemy, neither sought him any harm:
24Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the executer of blood in such cases.
25And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the judge of blood, and shall restore him again unto the franchised city, whither he was fled. And he shall bide there unto the death of the high priest which was anointed with holy oil.
26But and if he came without the borders of his privileged city whither he was fled,
27if the blood avenger find him without the borders of his free town, he shall slay the murderer and be guiltless,
28because he should have bidden in his free town until the death of the high priest, and after the death of the high priest, he shall return again unto the land of his possession.
29And this shall be an ordinance and a law unto you, among your children after you in all your habitations.
30Whosoever slayeth, shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses. For one witness shall not answer against one person to put him to death.
31Moreover ye shall take none amends for the life of the murderer which is worthy to die: But he shall be put to death.
32Also ye shall take none atonement for him that is fled to a free city, that he should come again and dwell in the land before the death of the high priest.
33And see that ye pollute not the land which ye are in, for blood defileth the land. And the land can none otherwise be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of it that shed it.
34Defile not therefore the land which ye inhabit, and in the midst of which I also dwell, for I am, the LORD which dwell among the children of Israel.