Numbers 35:1-23 ▼

1 And YHWH spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho, saying,

2 “Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and pastureland around the cities you? shall give the Levites.

3 And the cities shall be for them to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle, and for their herds, and for all their animals.

4 And the pasturelands of the cities that you? shall give the Levites is from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits all around.

5 And you? shall measure outside of the city on the east side two thousand by the cubit, and on the side of the Negev two thousand by the cubit, and on the west side two thousand by the cubit, and on the north side two thousand by the cubit; and the city is in the middle. This shall be unto them as pasturelands for the cities.

6 And among the cities that you? shall give to the Levites are six cities of refuge, which you? shall give for the fleeing there of the manslayer. And to these you? shall add forty-two cities.

7 And all the cities that you? will give to the Levites are forty-eight cities—these and their pasturelands.

8 And the cities that you? give from the possession of the sons of Israel—from the larger you? shall give many and from the smaller you? shall give few—each in proportion to the inheritance that each receives should be given of its cities to the Levites.”

9 And YHWH 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 you? shall appoint for yourselves cities—cities of refuge to be for you?, that may flee there the manslayer who kills a person in error.

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

13 And of the cities that you? give, six will be to you? cities of refuge.

14 Three cities you? shall appoint on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you? shall appoint in the land of Canaan—they are cities of refuge.

15 For the sons of Israel and for the sojourner and for the stranger in your midst shall be these six cities for refuge; anyone who kills a soul in error to flee there.

16 But if he strikes him with an iron implement and he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

17 And if with a stone in the hand, with which one could die by it, he strikes him and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

18 Or if with a wooden weapon in the hand, with which one could die by it, he strikes him and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

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

20 And if out of hatred he pushes him or hurls something at him while lying in wait, and he dies,

21 or in enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put to death the murderer when he meets him.

22 And if suddenly without enmity he pushes him or throws at him any object without lying in wait,

23 or with any stone with which a man could die by it, without seeing him, and throwing it at him so that he dies, and he is not an enemy to him or seeking his harm,