1. And the Lord spoke unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan of Jericho, saying,
2. Command the sons of Israel that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in, and ye shall give also unto the Levites the suburbs of those cities round about them.
3. And they shall have the cities to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their animals and for their substance and for all their beasts.
4. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.
5. Then ye shall measure from outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the side of the Negev two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
6. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint so that the manslayer may flee there; and in addition to them ye shall give them forty-two cities.
7. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, the cities with their suburbs.
8. And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the sons of Israel; from those that have much ye shall give many; but from those that have few ye shall give few, each one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his possession which he inherited.
9. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,
10. Speak unto the sons of Israel and say unto them, When ye have passed the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11. then ye shall appoint yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you that the manslayer who kills any person unawares may flee there.
12. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger {Heb. redeemer} that the manslayer not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.
13. And of these cities which ye shall give, six cities shall ye have for refuge.