8. And the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.”
9. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
10. “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11. then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there.
12. They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.
13. And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge.
14. You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge.
15. These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.
16. ‘But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.
17. And if he strikes him with a stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.
18. Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.