1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

2Command the children 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 suburbs for the cities round about them.

3And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.

4And 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.

5And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side 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.

6And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.

7So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.

8And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

9And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

11Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.

12And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

13And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.

14Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.

15These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

16And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he isa murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

20But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

21Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

22But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,

23Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:

24Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:

25And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

26But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;

27And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

28Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

29So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

31Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

32And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

33So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

34Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

1 And the Lord spake vnto Moses in the plaines of Moab by Iordane, neere Iericho, saying,

2Command the children of Israel, that they giue vnto the Leuites of the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in: and yee shall giue also vnto the Leuites suburbs for the cities round about them.

3And the cities shall they haue to dwell in, and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattell, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.

4And the suburbs of the cities, which yee shall giue vnto the Leuites, shall reach from the wall of the citie, and outward, a thousand cubites round about.

5And ye shall measure from without the city on the Eastside two thousand cubites, and on the Southside two thousand cubites, and on the Westside two thousand cubites, & on the Northside two thousand cubites: and the citie shall be in the midst; this shalbe to them the suburbs of the cities.

6And among the cities which yee shal giue vnto the Leuites, there shalbe sixe cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that hee may flee thither: And to them ye shall adde fourty and two cities.

7So all the cities which ye shall giue to the Leuites, shall be fourty and eight cities: them shall yee giue with their suburbs.

8And the cities which ye shal giue, shalbe of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that haue many ye shall giue many; but from them that haue few, ye shall giue few. Euery one shal giue of his cities vnto the Leuites, according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

9 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

10Speake vnto the children of Israel, and say vnto them, When ye bee come ouer Iordane, into the land of Canaan:

11Then ye shall appoint you cities, to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither which killeth any person at vnawares.

12And they shall be vnto you cities for refuge from the auenger, that the man-slayer die not, vntill he stand before the Congregation in iudgement.

13And of these cities which ye shall giue, sixe cities shall ye haue for refuge.

14Yee shall giue three cities on this side Iordane, and three cities shall yee giue in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.

15These sixe cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the soiourner among them: that euery one that killeth any person vnawares, may flee thither.

16And if he smite him with an instrument of Iron, (so that he die,) hee is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17And if he smite him with throwing a stone, (wherewith hee may die) and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18Or if he smite him with an handweapon of wood, (wherewith he may die) and he die, hee is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19The reuenger of blood himselfe shall slay the murtherer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

20But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurle at him by laying of waite that he die,

21Or in enmitie smite him with his hand, that he die: hee that smote him shall surely be put to death, for hee is a murderer: the reuenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when hee meeteth him.

22But if hee thrust him suddenly without enmitie, or haue cast vpon him any thing without laying of wait,

23Or with any stone wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it vpon him, that he die, and was not his enemie, neither sought his harme:

24Then the Congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer, and the reuenger of blood, according to these iudgements.

25And the Congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hand of the reuenger of blood, and the Congregation shal restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it vnto the death of the high Priest, which was annoynted with the holy oyle.

26But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the citie of his refuge, whither he was fled:

27And the reuenger of blood finde him without the borders of the citie of his refuge, and the reuenger of blood kill the slayer, he shall not be guiltie of blood:

28Because he should haue remained in the citie of his refuge, vntill the death of the high Priest: but after the death of the hie Priest, the slayer shal returne into the land of his possession.

29So these things shall be for a statute of iudgment vnto you, thorowout your generations in al your dwellings.

30Who so killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death, by the mouth of witnesses: but one witnesse shall not testifie against any person, to cause him to die.

31Moreouer, yee shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guiltie of death, but he shalbe surely put to death.

32And yee shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the citie of his refuge, that hee should come againe to dwell in the land, vntil the death of the Priest.

33So ye shall not pollute the lande wherein ye are: for blood, it defileth the land: and the land cannot bee cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

34Defile not therefore the lande which yee shall inhabite, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.

II == Josh 14:3-4 ; 21:2 ; Ezek 45:1-5 ; 48:8-10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI == Num 35:13 ; Deut 4:41 ; Josh 20:2 ; 7-8 ; 21:3 , 13 , 21 ; 27 , 32 , 36 , 38

 

VII == Josh 21:41

 

 

VIII == Num 26:54 ; Josh 21:3

 

 

 

 

 

X == Deut 19:2 ; Josh 20:2

 

 

XI == Ex 21:13

 

 

XII == Deut 19:6 ; Josh 20:3 , 5-6

 

 

XIII == Num 35:6

 

XIV == Deut 4:41 ; Josh 20:8

 

XV == Num 15:16

 

 

 

XVI == Ex 21:12 , 14 ; Lev 24:17 ; Deut 19:11-12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIX == Num 35:21 , 24 , 27 ; Deut 19:6 , 12 ; Josh 20:3 , 5

XX == Gen 4:8 ; Ex 21:14 ; Deut 19:11 ; 2nd Sam 3:27 ; 20:10 ; 1st Kings 2:31-32

 

 

 

XXII == Ex 21:13

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Num 35:12 ; Josh 20:6

 

XXV == ex 29:7 ; Lev 4:3 ; 21:10 ; Josh 20:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVII == Ex 22:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == Num 27:11

 

 

XXX == Deut 17:6 ; 19:15 ; Matt 18:16 ; 2nd Cor 13:1 ; Heb 10:28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIII == Gen 9:6 ; Ps 106:38 ; Mic 4:11

 

 

 

XXXIV == Ex 29:45-46 ; Lev 18:25 ; Deut 21:23

1 The LORD gave these instructions to Moses on the plains of Moab beside the Jericho stretch of the Jordan:

2 "Tell the Israelites that out of their hereditary property they shall give the Levites cities for homes, as well as pasture lands around the cities.

3 The cities shall serve them to dwell in, and the pasture lands shall serve their herds and flocks and other animals.

4 The pasture lands of the cities to be assigned the Levites shall extend a thousand cubits from the city walls in each direction.

5 Thus you shall measure out two thousand cubits outside the city along each side-east, south, west and north-with the city lying in the center. This shall serve them as the pasture lands of their cities.

6 "Now these are the cities you shall give to the Levites: the six cities of asylum which you must establish as places where a homicide can take refuge, and in addition forty-two other cities - 

7 a total of forty-eight cities with their pasture lands to be assigned the Levites.

8 In assigning the cities from the property of the Israelites, take more from a larger group and fewer from a smaller one, so that each group will cede cities to the Levites in proportion to its own heritage."

9 The LORD said to Moses,

10 "Tell the Israelites: When you go across the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11 select for yourselves cities to serve as cities of asylum, where a homicide who has killed someone unintentionally may take refuge.

12 These cities shall serve you as places of asylum from the avenger of blood, so that a homicide shall not be put to death unless he is first tried before the community.

13 Six cities of asylum shall you assign:

14 three beyond the Jordan, and three in the land of Canaan.

15 These six cities of asylum shall serve not only the Israelites but all the resident or transient aliens among them, so that anyone who has killed another unintentionally may take refuge there.

16 "If a man strikes another with an iron instrument and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.

17 If a man strikes another with a death-dealing stone in his hand and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.

18 If a man strikes another with a death-dealing club in his hand and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.

19 The avenger of blood may execute the murderer, putting him to death on sight.

20 "If a man pushes another out of hatred, or after lying in wait for him throws something at him, and causes his death,

21 or if he strikes another out of enmity and causes his death, he shall be put to death as a murderer. The avenger of blood may execute the murderer on sight.

22 "However, if a man pushes another accidentally and not out of enmity, or if without lying in wait for him he throws some object at him,

23 or without seeing him throws a death-dealing stone which strikes him and causes his death, although he was not his enemy nor seeking to harm him:

24 then the community, deciding the case between the slayer and the avenger of blood in accordance with these norms,

25 shall free the homicide from the avenger of blood and shall remand him to the city of asylum where he took refuge; and he shall stay there until the death of the high priest who has been anointed with sacred oil.

26 If the homicide of his own accord leaves the bounds of the city of asylum where he has taken refuge,

27 and the avenger of blood finds him beyond these bounds and kills him, the avenger incurs no bloodguilt;

28 the homicide was bound to stay in his city of asylum until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest may the homicide return to his own district.

29 "These shall be norms for you and all your descendants, wherever you live, for rendering judgment.

30 "Whenever someone kills another, the evidence of witnesses is required for the execution of the murderer. The evidence of a single witness is not sufficient for putting a person to death.

31 "You shall not accept indemnity in place of the life of a murderer who deserves the death penalty; he must be put to death.

32 Nor shall you accept indemnity to allow a refugee to leave his city of asylum and again dwell elsewhere in the land before the death of the high priest.

33 You shall not desecrate the land where you live. Since bloodshed desecrates the land, the land can have no atonement for the blood shed on it except through the blood of him who shed it.

34 Do not defile the land in which you live and in the midst of which I dwell; for I am the LORD who dwells in the midst of the Israelites."

v 1-6. The Levites did not have an inheritance but needed housing and provision for living, so they were given cities to dwell in and suburbs for pasturing their livestock. The walled portion of the city for dwelling was in the center and was 1500 feet on each side, or about four blocks square. The pasture lands extended out 750 feet from each side, so the whole area was 3000 feet on a side, or about eight blocks square.

 

 

 

v 6-8. The 48 cities given to the Levites were to be given from the inheritance of each tribe, the larger tribes giving more than the smaller tribes. This was because the Levites needed to be available to give them spiritual instruction. Six of these cities were to be cities of refuge, so that a man slayer could flee there until he stood trial. More will be said about these cities, Hebron, Shechem, Ramoth, Kedesh, Golan, and Bezer in Josh 21:13-38

v 9-15. Anyone who committed accidental homicide was to flee there so he would not be killed by a family avenger until he stood before the congregation for judgment. There would be three cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan and three on the west, so no one would have to flee more than about 50 miles to get there. The same rules applied to Israelites, strangers and temporary residents alike.

 

 

 

v 16-21. If a person struck someone with a lethal weapon, or did premeditated killing, he was considered a murderer and was to be killed by a relative of the slain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 22--25. In case of accidental homicide in which no harm was sought, the congregation would judge and deliver him from the avenger and restore him to the city of refuge to which he fled. (By this we see that he is taken to the city near the incident to be judged by the local people.) He was to remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. Some say this foreshadows the atoning death of Christ. A difference is that the guilty find refuge in Christ.

 

 

v 26-29. If he left the city of refuge before then and the avenger found him outside the border, he was free to kill him. After the death of the high priest he could leave the city of refuge, and if the avenger then killed him, that person became a murderer.

 

 

 

v 30. Every murderer was to be put to death, but there must be two or more witnesses.

 

v 31. No ransom could be paid for the release of a murderer.

v 32. No ransom could be paid to release one from the city of refuge before the death of the high priest.

v 33.34. The Lord did not want to dwell among the people in a polluted land, and the land could only be cleansed of blood by the blood of the one who shed it.