The Cities of Refuge^(A)

^9 (B)The Lord told Moses ¹⁰ to say to the people of Israel: “When you cross the Jordan River and enter the land of Canaan, ¹¹ you are to choose cities of refuge to which any of you can escape if you kill someone accidentally. ¹² There you will be safe from the dead person's relative who seeks revenge. No one accused of manslaughter is to be put to death without a public trial. ¹³ Choose six cities, ¹⁴ three east of the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan. ¹⁵ These will serve as cities of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners who are temporary or permanent residents. Anyone who kills someone accidentally can escape to one of them.

^16-18 “If, however, any of you use a weapon of iron or stone or wood to kill someone, you are guilty of murder and are to be put to death. ¹⁹ The dead person's nearest relative has the responsibility for putting the murderer to death. When he finds you, he is to kill you.

²⁰ “If you hate someone and kill him by pushing him down or by throwing something at him ²¹ or by striking him with your fist, you are guilty of murder and are to be put to death. The dead person's nearest relative has the responsibility for putting the murderer to death. When he finds you, he is to kill you.

²² “But suppose you accidentally kill someone you do not hate, whether by pushing him down or by throwing something at him. ²³ Or suppose that, without looking, you throw a stone that kills someone whom you did not intend to hurt and who was not your enemy. ²⁴ In such cases the community shall judge in your favor and not in favor of the dead person's relative who is seeking revenge. ²⁵ You are guilty only of manslaughter, and the community is to rescue you from the dead person's relative, and they are to return you to the city of refuge to which you had escaped. You must live there until the death of the man who is then High Priest. ²⁶ If you leave the city of refuge to which you have escaped ²⁷ and if the dead person's relative finds you and kills you, this act of revenge is not murder. ²⁸ Any of you guilty of manslaughter must remain in the city of refuge until the death of the High Priest, but after that you may return home. ²⁹ These rules apply to you and your descendants wherever you may live.

^30 (C)“Those accused of murder may be found guilty and put to death only on the evidence of two or more witnesses; the evidence of one witness is not sufficient to support an accusation of murder. ³¹ Murderers must be put to death. They cannot escape this penalty by the payment of money. ³² If they have fled to a city of refuge, do not allow them to make a payment in order to return home before the death of the High Priest. ³³ If you did this, you would defile the land where you are living. Murder defiles the land, and except by the death of the murderer there is no way to perform the ritual of purification for the land where someone has been murdered. ³⁴ Do not defile the land where you are living, because I am the Lord and I live among the people of Israel.”

The Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan

^41 (A)Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan River ⁴² to which a man could escape and be safe if he had accidentally killed someone who had not been his enemy. He could escape to one of these cities and not be put to death. ⁴³ For the tribe of Reuben there was the city of Bezer, on the desert plateau; for the tribe of Gad there was Ramoth, in the territory of Gilead; and for the tribe of Manasseh there was Golan, in the territory of Bashan.

The Territory Assigned to Simeon

19 The second assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Simeon. Its territory extended into the land assigned to the tribe of Judah. ^2 (A)It included Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, ³ Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵ Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, ⁶ Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities, along with the towns around them.

⁷ There were also Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan: four cities, along with the towns around them. ⁸ This included all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (or Ramah), in the south. This was the land which the families of the tribe of Simeon received as their possession. ⁹ Since Judah's assignment was larger than was needed, part of its territory was given to the tribe of Simeon.

The Territory Assigned to Zebulun

¹⁰ The third assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Zebulun. The land which they received reached as far as Sarid. ¹¹ From there the border went west to Mareal, touching Dabbesheth and the stream east of Jokneam. ¹² On the other side of Sarid it went east to the border of Chisloth Tabor, then to Daberath and up to Japhia. ¹³ It continued east from there to Gath Hepher and Ethkazin, turning in the direction of Neah on the way to Rimmon.