New King James Version

English Standard Version

1And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying:

1The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at 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.

2“Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities.

3They shall have the cities to dwell in; and their common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals.

3The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts.

4The 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.

4The pasturelands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around.

5And 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.

5And you shall 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, the city being in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities.

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.

6“The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.

7So all the cities you will give to the Levites shall be forty-eight; these you shall give with their common-land.

7All the cities that you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight, with their pasturelands.

8And 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.”

8And as for the cities that you shall give from the possession of the people of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites.”

9Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

9And 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,

10“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there.

11then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there.

12They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

12The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

13And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge.

13And the cities that you give shall be your six cities of refuge.

14You 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.

14You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge.

15These 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.

15These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent 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.

16“But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death.

17And 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.

17And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death.

18Or 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.

18Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death.

19The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

19The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

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

20And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, lying in wait, so that he died,

21or 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.

21or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood 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,

22“But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait

23or 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,

23or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy and did not seek his harm,

24then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments.

24then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these rules.

25So 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.

25And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

26But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled,

26But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled,

27and 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,

27and the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood.

28because 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.

28For he must remain 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.

29‘And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

29And these things shall be for a statute and rule for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.

30Whoever 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.

30“If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

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

31Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death.

32And 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.

32And you shall accept 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 high priest.

33So 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.

33You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.

34Therefore 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.’ ”

34You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.”

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.