Numbers 35

CHAPTER 35

The Lots of the Levites

1And the lord spoke to Moses upon the descent of Moab, by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, 2Give orders to the sons of Israel! and they shall give to the Levites from the lots of their possession cities to dwell in; and the outskirts of the cities round about them you shall give to the Levites. 3And [³shall be ¹the ²cities] to dwell in. And   their separation offerings of lands  will be for their cattle and all   their four-footed animals. 4And the lands falling in with the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outside -- a thousand cubits round about. 5And you shall measure outside the city -- the side the one towards the east -- two thousand cubits; and the side the one towards the south -- two thousand cubits; and the side the one towards the west -- two thousand cubits; and the side the one towards the north -- two thousand cubits; and the city between this will be for you, and the adjoining areas  of the cities.

Cities of Refuge

6And the cities which you shall give to the Levites are the six cities of the places of refuge, which you shall give [³to flee ⁴there ¹for the ²one man-slaying]; and in addition to these, forty   two cities. 7All the cities which you shall give to the Levites are forty and eight cities, these and   their outskirts. 8And the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, from the ones having    many will be many; and from the ones having  less will be less; each according to   his inheritance which they shall allot, they shall give from the cities to the Levites. 9And the lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10Speak to the sons of Israel! and you shall say to them, You are passing over the Jordan into the land of Canaan. 11And you shall draw apart to you for them cities for them; [²places of refuge ¹they will be] to you [³to flee ⁴there ¹for the ²man-slayer]; any one   striking a soul unintentionally. 12And they will be   cities for you as places of refuge from the one acting as next of kin   for blood, that in no way should [³die ¹the one ²man-slaying] until whenever he should stand before the congregation for judgment. 13And the cities which you shall appoint -- the six cities -- [²places of refuge ¹will be] for you. 14  Three cities you shall appoint on the other side of the Jordan, and   three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan. 15A place of refuge they will be to the sons of Israel. And to the foreigner and to the sojourner   among you [²will be   ¹these cities] for a place of refuge to flee there to all striking a soul unintentionally. 16And if by an item of iron one should strike him, and he should come to an end -- that one is a murderer -- unto death let [³be put to death ¹the ²murderer]! 17And if by a stone from the hand in which one should die by it, then the one who should strike him, even he should die, he is a murderer -- unto death let [³be put to death ¹the ²murderer]! 18And if by an item of wood from his hand of which one should die, as he should strike him, and one should die, he is a murderer -- unto death [³shall die ¹the ²murderer]! 19The one acting as next of kin   for blood, this one shall kill the one man-slaying; whenever he meets him, this one shall kill him. 20And if through hatred he should thrust him through or should cast upon him any item by ambush, and he should die, 21or through vehement anger he strikes him by the hand, and he should die -- to death let [³be put to death ¹the one ²striking], he is a murderer! The one acting as next of kin for blood shall kill the one man-slaying in the meeting up with him. 22But if suddenly, [²not ³by ⁴hatred ¹he should thrust him through], or cast upon him any item, not from ambush, 23or any stone in which he shall die by it, not knowing, and he should fall upon him, and he should die, but he [²not ³his enemy ¹was], nor seeking to do evil against him; 24then [³shall judge ¹the ²congregation] between the one striking and between the one acting as next of kin   for blood, according to   these cases. 25And [³shall rescue ¹the ²congregation] the one man-slaying from the one acting as next of kin   for blood; and [³shall restore ⁴him ¹the ²congregation] into the city   of his place of refuge, of which he took refuge; and he shall dwell there until whenever [⁴should die ¹the ³priest   ²great], whom they anointed him   [³oil ¹with the ²holy]. 26But if by an exit [³should come forth from ¹the one ²man-slaying] the borders of the city in which he took refuge there, 27and [⁴should find ⁵him ¹the one ²acting as next of kin   ³for blood] outside the borders of the city of his refuge, and [⁴should slaughter ¹the one ²acting as next of kin   ³for blood] the one man-slaying, [²not ³liable ¹is he]? 28For in the city   of his refuge let him dwell until [⁴should die   ³priest ¹the ²great]! And after the dying of the [²priest   ¹great] [³will be able to return ¹the one ²man-slaying] unto the land   of his possession. 29And these things will be to you for an ordinance of judgment unto   your generations in all   your dwellings. 30Every one  striking a soul, with witnesses, you shall slaughter the one man-slaying; and [²witness ¹one] shall not witness for a soul to die. 31And you shall not take ransoms for a soul from the one murdering -- the [²liable ¹one being] is to be done away with, for unto death he shall be put to death. 32And you shall not take ransoms for the one fleeing into a city of the places of refuge,   to again dwell in the land, until whenever [⁴should die ¹the ³priest   ²great]. 33And in no way should you pollute with murder the land upon which you dwell upon it;   for this blood pollutes [³by murder ¹the ²land], and [³shall not ⁴be atoned ¹the ²land] from the blood   having been poured out upon it, but it shall be upon the blood of the one pouring it out. 34And you shall not defile the land upon which you dwell upon it, of which I should encamp among you. For I am the lord  encamping in the midst of the sons of Israel.