35 And the LORD spake unto
Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 2 Command 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 Levites suburbs for the cities
round about them. 3 And the cities shall they have to dwell
in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods,
and for all their beasts. 4 And 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. 5 And ye shall measure from without 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; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to
them the suburbs of the cities. 6 And among the cities which ye shall give
unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint
for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty
and two cities. 7 So all the cities which ye shall give
to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with
their suburbs. 8 And the cities which ye shall give shall
be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many
ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every
one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance
which he inheriteth. 9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to
be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth
any person at unawares. 12 And they shall be unto you cities for
refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before
the congregation in judgment. 13 And of these cities which ye shall give
six cities shall ye have for refuge. 14 Ye shall give three cities on this side
Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall
be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be a refuge,
both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner
among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. 16 And if he smite him with an instrument
of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be
put to death. 17 And if he smite him with throwing a
stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer
shall surely be put to death.
18 Or if he
smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die,
he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The
revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him,
he shall slay him. 20 But
if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he
die; 21 Or
in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall
surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall
slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. 22 But
if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing
without laying of wait, 23 Or
with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon
him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: 24 Then
the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood
according to these judgments: 25 And
the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger
of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge,
whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high
priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But
if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of
his refuge, whither he was fled; 27 And
the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his
refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty
of blood: 28 Because
he 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 slayer shall return
into the land of his possession. 29 So
these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your
generations in all your dwellings. 30 Whoso
killeth 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. 31 Moreover
ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty
of death: but he shall be surely put to death. 32 And
ye shall take no satisfaction 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. 33 So
ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the
land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein,
but by the blood of him that shed it. 34 Defile
not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I
the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.