“1 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.” (Nu 35:1-34 AV)
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