Numbers 35

(1) Israel to Give 48 Cities to Levites

The Existing One talked to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River, across from Jericho. He said,

“Tell Israel’s descendants that they need to give the Levites some of the cities in the land they’re inheriting. That way, the Levites can have a place to live. Israel also need to give them some of the fields surrounding those cities for their livestock. 

“Measure 500 yards past the city walls, and give that land to them. And measure 1,000 yards to the north, south, east, and west with the city in the center. That will be the land they’re allowed to pasture their animals in. 

“Six of the cities you give to the Levites will be places of refuge where people can live who have accidentally killed someone. But you’ll also need to give them 42 normal cities. Altogether, the Levites will have 48 cities and their surrounding pasture lands.

“The cities you give to the Levites need to come from the other tribes in proportion to their size—larger tribes need to contribute more cities while smaller tribes will contribute fewer. Everyone’s contribution will be proportionate with that tribe’s territory.”

(9) Cities of Refuge to Protect Accidental Killers

.Then the Existing One told Moses,

“Tell Israel’s descendants that when they cross the Jordan River and get to Canaan, they need to pick which cities will be the places of refuge where people can go who have unintentionally killed someone. Those cities will be a safe zone from anyone wanting revenge. That way, the person who killed someone will stay safely alive until he goes to court and is put on trial.

“There need to be 6 cities of refuge: 3 in Canaan, and 3 on the other side of the Jordan River. They’ll be a refuge for Israelites and any foreigners living among them—anyone who accidentally kills someone can flee there. 

(16) Distinguishing a Murder from an Accidental Killer

“But if the killer used an iron object, a rock, or a wooden object to kill the victim, then the killer is a murderer who needs to be executed. The victim’s justice-seeking relative will be the one to execute the murderer—he’ll need to execute him when they see each other. If one person pushes another out of hatred, throws something at him in an ambush, or beats him down with his bare hands out of hostility—if the victim dies, then the attacker is a murderer and needs to be executed. The victim’s justice-seeking relative will execute the murderer when they see each other. 

(22) Rules Protecting Accidental Killers

“But let’s say the killer pushed the victim on accident, or threw something at him without ambushing him, or accidentally dropped something on him. If the victim dies when the killer wasn’t trying to injury him, then the population should use these rules to decide between the killer and the justice-seeking relative. The population will be able to rescue the killer from the justice-seeking relative and let him live in his city of refuge. The killer will be allowed to live there there until the high priest dies who was ordained with sacred oil.

“But if the killer leaves the city of refuge and the justice-seeking relative kills him, the relative won’t be guilty of bloodshed. The reason for that is because the killer was supposed to stay in his city of refuge until the high priest died. But after the high priest dies, the killer will be allowed go back to his homeland.

“These practices will be a rule for you throughout your generations wherever you live.

(30) Don’t Release Murderers

“If someone murders another person, the murderer needs to be executed if there are multiple witnesses testifying against him. But don’t execute anyone when there’s only one witness. And don’t accept ransom money in exchange for a murderer’s life. The murderer is guilty of putting someone to death, so he himself needs to be put to death.

“And when someone flees to a city of refuge, don’t take ransom money to let him to go back to his homeland and live there before the priest dies.

“These rules will prevent your country from being polluted, because bloodshed pollutes the land, and the only thing that can cover for the land is the killer’s blood. Don’t defile the land you live in, because that’s where I live. I am the Existing One who lives with Israel’s descendants.”