Numbers 35:1-15

1Adonai spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho saying,

2“Command Bnei-Yisrael to give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possessions cities in which to live. They are also to give the Levites pasturelands around the cities.

3Thus they will have cities to live in and pastures for their cattle, flocks and all their livestock.

4The pastures you give the Levites will extend out from the walls around the cities for 1,000 cubits.

5You are to measure outside the cities 2,000 cubits on the east side, 2,000 cubits on the south side, on the west side 2,000 cubits, and on the north side 2,000 cubits. These are to be pasturelands for the cities.

6“Six of the cities you give the Levites are to be cities of refuge, to which anyone who kills anyone may flee. Besides these, you are to give the Levites 42 more cities.

7In all, you are to give the Levites 48 cities with their pastures.

8The cities that you are to give to the Levites from the possession of Bnei-Yisrael should be proportionate to the inheritance of each tribe—give many from the one who has many and few from the one who has few.”

9Adonai spoke to Moses saying,

10“Speak to Bnei-Yisrael saying: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11You are to select cities which will be cities of refuge, to which one might flee if he has killed someone by accident.

12They are to be cities for refuge from the avenger, so the manslayer may not die before standing trial before the assembly.

13The six cities you designate are to be your cities of refuge.

14Designate three cities on this side of the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan as cities of refuge.

15“These six cities of refuge are to be for Bnei-Yisrael as well as for the outsider and the visitor in their midst, for anyone killing a person by accident.