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,
14. three shall be across the Jordan, and three in the land of Canaan,
15. as much for the sons of Israel as for newcomers and sojourners, so that anyone who has shed blood unwillingly may flee to these places.
16. If anyone will have struck someone with iron, and he who was struck will have died, then he shall be guilty of homicide, and he himself shall die.