Cities of Refuge

“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.

select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.

They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.

These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.

Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge.

These 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.

The 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.

“‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled

The 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.

“‘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.