1. And the Lord also spoke these things to Moses in the plains of Moab, above the Jordan, opposite Jericho:
2. "Instruct the sons of Israel, so that they may give to the Levites, from their possessions,
3. cities as dwelling places, with their surrounding suburbs, so that they may lodge in the towns, and so that the suburbs may be for cattle and beasts of burden.
4. The suburbs shall extend from the outer walls of the cities, all around, for the space of one thousand steps.
5. Facing the east, there shall be two thousand cubits, and facing the south, similarly, there shall be two thousand cubits. Toward the sea, also, which looks out toward the west, there shall be the same measure, and the northern region shall be bounded by equal limits. And the cities shall be in the center, and the suburbs shall be outside.
6. Now, from the towns which you shall give to the Levites, six shall be separated for the assistance of fugitives, so that he who has shed blood may flee to them. And, aside from these, there shall be forty-two other towns,
7. that is, all together forty-eight with their suburbs.
8. And concerning these cities, which shall be given from the possessions of the sons of Israel: from those who have more, more shall be taken, and from those who have less, less shall be taken. Each shall give towns to the Levites according to the measure of their inheritance."
9. The Lord said to Moses:
10. "Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: When you will have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11. discern which cities ought to be for the protection of fugitives who have shed blood unwillingly.
12. And when a fugitive is in these, the kinsman of the deceased shall not be able to kill him, until he stands in the sight of the multitude and his case is judged.
13. Then, among those cities which are separated for relief to fugitives,