Numbers 35:1-15 ▼

1 Now 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 outward 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 six 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 forty-eight cities, together with their pasture lands.

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

11 then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, so that the one who commits manslaughter by killing a person unintentionally may flee there.

12 The cities shall serve you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who commits manslaughter does not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.

13 So the cities which you are to provide shall be six cities of refuge for you.

14 You shall provide three cities across the Jordan, and three cities in 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 kills a person unintentionally may flee there.