¹⁴ You are to set aside three cities east of the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan. They will serve as cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities will serve as a refuge for Israelites, for resident aliens, and for temporary residents living among them so that everyone who has taken someone’s life unintentionally may flee there.

¹⁶ But if a person strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, that person is a murderer. The murderer must certainly be put to death.