Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites
(Joshua 21:1–45; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81)

1And Jehovah will speak to Moses in the desert of Moab by Jordan of Jericho, saying, 2Command the sons of Israel, and they gave to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and areas to the cities round about them shall ye give to the Levites. 3And the cities were to them to dwell in; and their areas shall be for their cattle, and for their horses, and for all their beasts.

4And the areas of the cities which ye shall give to the Levites from the wall of the city and without, a thousand cubits round about. 5And ye measured from without the city the east side two thousand cubits, and the south side two thousand by the cubit, and the side of the sea two thousand by the cubit, and the north side two thousand by the cubit; and the city in the midst: this shall be to them the areas of the cities.

6And the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, six cities of refuge, which ye shall give to flee there to the slayer: and upon them ye shall give forty and two. 7All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, forty and eight cities: them and their areas. 8And the cities which ye shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel: from the many ye shall multiply; and from the few ye shall diminish: each according to his inheritance which they shall inherit, he shall give from his cities to the Levites.

Six Cities of Refuge
(Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Deuteronomy 19:1–14; Joshua 20:1–9)

9And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, 10Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When ye are passing over Jordan to the land of Canaan, 11And build ye to you cities; cities of refuge shall they be to you; and the slayer to flee there smiting a soul in error. 12And they to you the cities for refuge from the nearest relative; and the slayer shall not die till his standing before the assembly for judgment, 13And the cities which ye shall give, six cities of refuge shall be to you. 14Three cities shall ye give from beyond Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; cities of refuge shall they be. 15For the sons of Israel and for the stranger, and for the sojourner in the midst of you shall be six cities: these for refuge to flee there all smiting a soul in error.

16And if with an instrument of iron he smote him, the slayer shall die; the slayer he dying, shall die. 17And if with a stone of the hand which he shall die by it he smote him, he the slayer shall die; dying, the slayer shall die. 18Or with an instrument of wood of the hand, which he shall die by it he smote him, he the slayer shall die; dying, the slayer shall die. 19The nearest relative of blood he shall kill the slayer: in his meeting him he shall kill him. 20And if in hatred he thrust at him, or cast upon him, or in lying in wait, he shall die. 21Or in enmity he smote with his hand, and he will die; dying, he smiting shall die; he is a slayer: the nearest relative of blood shall kill the slayer in his meeting him.

22And if suddenly, not in enmity, he thrust him, or cast upon him any instrument in not lying in wait, 23Or with any stone which he shall die by it in not seeing, and it will fall upon him and he shall die, and he not an enemy to him and not seeking his hurt: 24And the assembly judged between him smiting, and between the nearest relation of blood according to these judgments: 25And the assembly delivered the slayer out of the hand of the nearest relation of blood, and the assembly turned him back to the city of his refuge where he fled there: and he dwelt in it till the death of the great priest who anointed him with the holy oil. 26And if going out the slayer shall go out of the boundary of the city of his refuge where he shall flee there; 27And the nearest relation of blood finding him without the boundary of the city of his refuge, and the nearest relation of blood slew the slayer; no blood to him. 28For in the city of his refuge he shall dwell till the death of the great priest; and after the death of the great priest the slayer shall turn back to the land of his possession.

29And these were to you for laws of judgment to your generations in all your dwellings.

30Every one striking a soul by the mouth of witnesses, he shall slay the slayer: and one witness shall not testify against a soul to die. 31Ye shall not take expiation for the soul of a slayer, he who was guilty to die, for dying, he shall die. 32And ye shall not take expiation for him fleeing to the city of his refuge, for turning back to dwell in the land till the death of the priest. 33And ye shall not pollute the land which ye are in it: for blood it will pollute the land: and for the land it will not be expiated for the blood which was poured out upon it but by the blood of him shedding. 34And thou shalt not defile the land which ye shall dwell upon it, which I dwell in the midst of it: for I Jehovah dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel.