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.’ ”
利未人分到的城邑
1在耶利哥对面、约旦河边的摩押平原，耶和华对摩西说： 2“你告诉以色列人，要从分得的产业中把一些城邑及其周围的草场分给利未人。 3城邑供他们居住，草场供他们牧放牛羊等牲畜。 4划分给利未人的草场是从城墙往外延伸四百五十米35:4 “四百五十米”《七十士译本》作“九百一十米”。， 5要以城为中心，东南西北四郊每边向外量九百米，作利未人的草场。 6要分给利未人四十二座城邑，另外再加六座供误杀人者逃命的避难城， 7共分给利未人四十八座城邑，包括城周围的草场。 8以色列各支派要按比例从自己承受的产业中分一些城邑给利未人，人多的支派多给，人少的支派少给。”
避难城
9耶和华对摩西说： 10“你要告诉以色列人，‘你们过了约旦河进入迦南以后， 11要选一些城邑作为你们的避难城，供误杀人者逃去避难， 12躲避复仇的人，以免误杀人者未在会众面前受审，便被杀死。 13你们要选六座城作为避难城， 14三座在约旦河东岸，三座在迦南。 15凡误杀人的，无论是以色列人，还是在他们当中寄居的外族人，都可以逃到这些城避难。
16“‘倘若有人用铁器打人致死，他就是故意杀人，杀人犯必须被处死。 17倘若有人用足以致命的石头打人致死，他就是故意杀人，杀人犯必须被处死。 18倘若有人用足以致命的木器打人致死，他就是故意杀人，杀人犯必须被处死。 19报血仇的人要亲自处死故意杀人者，一找到他就要处死他。 20倘若有人因仇恨把人推倒致死，或故意扔东西砸人致死， 21或因仇恨徒手伤人致死，他就是故意杀人，杀人犯必须被处死，报血仇的人一找到他就要处死他。
22“‘倘若有人并非出于怀恨，而是偶然推倒人致死，或无意间扔东西砸人致死， 23或因没有看见而扔石头砸人致死，鉴于他与对方并非仇人，也无意加害对方， 24会众就要照这些律例在误杀人者与报血仇者之间做出判决。 25会众要把误杀人者从报血仇者手里救出来，让他回到他原先逃往的避难城。他要住在那里，一直住到受圣油膏立的大祭司逝世。 26但倘若误杀人者离开避难城， 27报血仇的人在城外找到他，将他杀死也不用担血债。 28因为误杀人者必须留在避难城内，等到大祭司逝世之后，才可返回家园。 29这是你们世世代代无论住在哪里都要遵守的律例。
30“‘倘若有人被控谋杀，必须有几个人作证才可以处死他，不可凭一个人的证词处死他。 31犯了死罪的杀人犯必须偿命，不可让他付赎金免死。 32不可收逃进避难城之人的赎金，让他在大祭司逝世前返回家园。 33这样，你们就不致玷污你们所居住的土地，因为血会玷污土地。除非用凶手的血作抵偿，否则被血玷污的土地无法得到洁净。 34不可玷污你们所居住的土地，那也是我居住的地方，因为我耶和华住在以色列人中间。’”
