² “Say to the Israelites: Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,^(A)

² you shall set apart three cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.^{(A) 3} You shall calculate the distances^[a] and divide into three regions the land that the Lord your God gives you as a possession, so that any homicide can flee to one of them.

⁴ “Now this is the case of a homicide who might flee there and live, that is, someone who has killed another person unintentionally when the two had not been at enmity before.^{(B) 5} Suppose someone goes into the forest with another to cut wood, and when one of them swings the ax to cut down a tree, the head slips from the handle and strikes the other person, who then dies; the killer may flee to one of these cities and live. ⁶ But if the distance is too great, the avenger of blood in hot anger might pursue and overtake and put the killer to death, although a death sentence was not deserved, since the two had not been at enmity before.^{(C) 7} Therefore I command you: You shall set apart three cities.

⁸ “If the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he swore to your ancestors—and he will give you all the land that he promised your ancestors to give you, ⁹ provided you diligently observe this entire commandment that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God and walking always in his ways—then you shall add three more cities to these three,^{(D) 10} so that the blood of an innocent person may not be shed in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, thereby bringing bloodguilt upon you.^(E)

¹¹ “But if someone at enmity with another lies in wait and attacks and takes the life of that person and flees into one of these cities, ¹² then the elders of the killer’s city shall send to have the culprit taken from there and handed over to the avenger of blood to be put to death. ¹³ Show no pity; you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may go well with you.^(F)

Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan

⁴¹ Then Moses set apart on the east side of the Jordan three cities^{(A) 42} to which a homicide could flee, someone who unintentionally kills another person, the two not having been at enmity before; the homicide could flee to one of these cities and live: ⁴³ Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.

¹¹ then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, so that a slayer who kills a person without intent may flee there.^{(A) 12} The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, so that the slayer may not die until there is a trial before the congregation.^(B)

¹³ “The cities that you designate shall be six cities of refuge for you: ¹⁴ you shall designate three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities shall serve as refuge for the Israelites, for the resident or transient alien among them, so that anyone who kills a person without intent may flee there.^(C)

Concerning Murder and Blood Revenge

¹⁶ “But anyone who strikes another with an iron object, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.^{(D) 17} Or anyone who strikes another with a stone in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁸ Or anyone who strikes another with a weapon of wood in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁹ The avenger of blood is the one who shall put the murderer to death; when they meet, the avenger of blood shall execute the sentence.^{(E) 20} Likewise, if someone pushes another from hatred or hurls something at another, lying in wait, and death ensues, ²¹ or in enmity strikes another with the hand, and death ensues, then the one who struck the blow shall 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 someone pushes another suddenly without enmity or hurls any object without lying in wait,^{(F) 23} or, while handling any stone that could cause death, unintentionally^[a] drops it on another and death ensues, though they were not enemies and no harm was intended, ²⁴ then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these ordinances,^(G)

⁶ “The towns that you give to the Levites shall include the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit a slayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two towns.^(A)