¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,^(A)

² “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, ³ so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally^(A) may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.^{(B) 4} When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate^(C) and state their case before the elders^(D) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. ⁵ If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. ⁶ They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly^(E) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”

Cities of Refuge^(A)

19 When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses,^{(B) 2} then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

⁹ since you have not yet reached the resting place^(A) and the inheritance^(B) the Lord your God is giving you.

² “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan,^(A) the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance^(B) is to have these boundaries:^(C)

² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord.

³⁴ “When you enter the land of Canaan,^(A) which I am giving you as your possession,^(B) and I put a spreading mold in a house in that land,