4. The pasturelands of the cities you are to give the Levites will extend from the city wall 500 yards on every side.
5. Measure 1,000 yards outside the city for the east side, 1,000 yards for the south side, 1,000 yards for the west side, and 1,000 yards for the north side, with the city in the center. This will belong to them as pasturelands for the cities.
6. “The cities you give the Levites will include six cities of refuge, which you must provide so that the one who kills someone may flee there; in addition to these, give 42 other cities.
7. The total number of cities you give the Levites will be 48, along with their pasturelands.
8. Of the cities that you give from the Israelites’ territory, you should take more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one. Each tribe is to give some of its cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance it receives.”
9. The Lord said to Moses,
10. “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11. designate cities to serve as cities of refuge for you, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there.
12. You will have the cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who kills someone will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
13. The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge.
14. Select three cities across the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan to be cities of refuge.
15. These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or temporary resident among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.
16. “If anyone strikes a person with an iron object and death results, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
17. If a man has in his hand a stone capable of causing death and strikes another person and he dies, the murderer must be put to death.
18. If a man has in his hand a wooden object capable of causing death and strikes another person and he dies, the murderer must be put to death.