Towns for the Levites
1On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, 2“Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. 3Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals.
4“The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits35:4 That is, about 1,500 feet or about 450 meters from the town wall. 5Outside the town, measure two thousand cubits35:5 That is, about 3,000 feet or about 900 meters on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west and two thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.
Cities of Refuge
6“Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. 7In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. 8The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.”
9Then the Lord said to Moses: 10“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 11select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. 12They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly. 13These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. 14Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. 15These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.
16“ ‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 17Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 18Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 19The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death. 20If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally so that they die 21or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death; that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.
22“ ‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally 23or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, 24the assembly must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
26“ ‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled 27and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. 28The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.
29“ ‘This is to have the force of law for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.
30“ ‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
31“ ‘Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.
32“ ‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.
33“ ‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’ ”
Midzi ya Alevi
1Ku zigwa za Mowabu pafupi ndi Yorodani ku Yeriko, Yehova anawuza Mose kuti, 2“Lamula Aisraeli kuti apereke kwa Alevi midzi yoti azikhalamo kuchokera pa cholowa chomwe adzalandira. Muwapatsenso malo oweteramo ziweto kuzungulira midziyo. 3Midziyo idzakhala yawo ndipo azidzakhala mʼmenemo. Malo a msipu adzakhala a ngʼombe, nkhosa ndi zoweta zawo zina zonse.
4“Malo a msipu a mudziwo amene mudzawapatse Aleviwo, adzayambire ku khoma la mudzi ndipo adzatuluke kunja mamita 450, kuzungulira mudziwo. 5Kunja kwa mudzi yezani mamita 900 kummawa, mamita 900 kumpoto ndipo mudziwo ukhale pakati. Adzakhala ndi dera limeneli ngati malo a midziyo, owetera ziweto zawo.
Mizinda Yopulumukirako
6“Isanu ndi umodzi mwa midzi imene mudzapereke kwa Alevi idzakhala mizinda yopulumukirako, kumene munthu wopha mnzake adzathawireko. Ndipo mudzawapatsenso midzi ina 42. 7Midzi yonse imene mudzapereke kwa Alevi idzakhale 48, pamodzi ndi malo oweterako ziweto. 8Pamene mukupatula midzi imeneyi pa cholowa cha Aisraeli, muchotsepo midzi yambiri pa mafuko aakulu, ndipo midzi pangʼono pa mafuko aangʼono. Fuko lililonse lidzapereka kwa Alevi molingana ndi kukula kwa cholowa chimene lalandira.”
9Ndipo Yehova anawuza Mose kuti, 10“Yankhula ndi Aisraeli kuti, ‘Pamene muwoloka Yorodani kulowa mu Kanaani, 11sankhani midzi ina kuti ikhale mizinda yanu yopulumukirako, kumene munthu wopha munthu wina mwangozi angathawireko. 12Adzakhala malo obisalako pothawa munthu wofuna kulipsira, kuti munthu wopha mnzake mwangozi asaphedwe mpaka akayime pamaso pa gulu la anthu kuti akaweruzidwe. 13Midzi isanu ndi umodzi imene muyiperekeyi idzakhala mizinda yopulumukirako. 14Mupereke itatu mbali ino ya Yorodani ndi itatu ina mu Kanaani kuti ikhale mizinda yopulumukirako. 15Midzi isanu ndi umodzi idzakhala malo opulumukirako Aisraeli, alendo ndi anthu ena onse okhala pakati pawo kuti wina aliyense wopha mnzake mwangozi adzathawireko.
16“ ‘Ngati munthu amenya mnzake ndi chitsulo, munthuyo nʼkufa, ndiye kuti iyeyo ndi wakupha ndipo wakuphayo aphedwe. 17Kapenanso ngati wina wake ali ndi mwala mʼdzanja mwake womwe ungaphe munthu, ndipo agenda nawo wina, munthu winayo nʼkufa, ndiye kuti iyeyo ndi wakupha ndipo wakuphayo adzayenera kuphedwa. 18Kapenanso ngati wina ali ndi chibonga mʼdzanja mwake choti nʼkupha nacho munthu, namenya nacho munthu, munthuyo nʼkufa, ndiye kuti iyeyo ndi wakupha, wakuphayo ayenera kuphedwa. 19Wolipsira adzamuphanso wakuphayo. Pamene akumana naye adzayenera kumupha ndithu. 20Ndipo ngati wina wake, chifukwa cha udani, aganiza zokankha munthu wina kapena kumuponyera chinthu china mwadala munthuyo nʼkufa, 21kapena ngati, chifukwa cha udani, amenya mnzake ndi nkhonya, mnzakeyo ndi kufa, munthuyo ayenera kuphedwa. Iyeyo ndi wakupha. Wolipsira adzamuphe wakuphayo pamene akumana naye.
22“ ‘Koma ngati popanda udani wina uliwonse, mwadzidzidzi akankha wina kapena kumuponyera chinthu osati mwadala, 23kapena mosamuona nʼkumuponyera mwala womwe utha kumupha, munthuyo nʼkufa, tsono pakuti sanali mdani wake ndipo sanaganizire zomupweteka, 24gulu liweruze pakati pa iye ndi wolipsira monga mwa malamulo ake. 25Gulu lidzapulumutsa munthu wakuphayo mʼmanja mwa wolipsira uja ndi kumubwezera ku mzinda wopulumukirako kumene anathawira. Ayenera kukhala kumeneko kufikira imfa ya mkulu wa ansembe, amene anadzozedwa ndi mafuta oyera.
26“ ‘Koma ngati wolakwayo atuluka kunja kwa malire a mzinda wopulumukirako kumene anathawira 27ndipo wobwezera choyipa nʼkumupeza kunja kwa mzindawo, wolipsirayo atha kumupha wolakwayo popanda kugamula mlandu wakupha. 28Wolakwayo ayenera kukhala mu mzinda wopulumukiramowo mpaka imfa ya mkulu wa ansembe ndipo pamenepo atha kubwerera kwawo. Pokhapokha atafa mkulu wa ansembe ndi pamene angathe kubwerera ku malo ake.
29“ ‘Amenewa akhale malamulo ndi malangizo kwa inu nthawi zonse ndi ku mibado ya mʼtsogolo, kulikonse kumene mudzakhalako.
30“ ‘Aliyense wopha munthu ayeneranso kuphedwa ngati pali umboni okwanira. Koma wina asaphedwe ngati pali mboni imodzi yokha.
31“ ‘Osalola kulandira dipo lowombolera munthu wakupha yemwe ayenera kuphedwa. Wakupha ayenera kuphedwa.
32“ ‘Simuyeneranso kulandira dipo kwa munthu amene wathawira ku mzinda wopulumikirako kuti wothawayo abwerere kwawo, pokhapokha ngati mkulu wa ansembe wamwalira.
33“ ‘Musayipitse dziko limene mukukhalamolo. Magazi amayipitsa dziko ndipo nʼkosatheka kulipirira dziko chifukwa cha magazi amene akhetsedwa mʼmenemo, kupatula pokhetsa magazi a munthu amene anakhetsa magaziyo. 34Choncho musadetse dziko limene mukukhalamo, dziko limene Inenso ndimakhalamo, pakuti Ine Yehova, ndimakhala pakati pa Aisraeli.’ ”