2. “Tell the Israelites that from the property they receive they must give the Levites some cities to live in and pasture land round the cities.
3. These cities will belong to the Levites, and they will live there. The pasture land will be for their cattle and all their other animals.
4. The pasture land is to extend outwards from the city walls 450 metres in each direction,
5. so that there is a square area measuring 900 metres on each side, with the city in the middle.
6. You are to give the Levites six cities of refuge to which a man can escape if he kills someone accidentally. In addition, give them 42 other cities
7. with their pasture land, making a total of 48.
8. The number of Levite cities in each tribe is to be determined according to the size of its territory.”
9. The Lord told Moses
16-18. “If, however, anyone uses a weapon of iron or stone or wood to kill someone, he is guilty of murder and is to be put to death.
19. The dead person's nearest relative has the responsibility for putting the murderer to death. When he finds him, he is to kill him.
20. “If anyone hates someone and kills him by pushing him down or by throwing something at him
21. or by striking him with his fist, he is guilty of murder and is to be put to death. The dead man's nearest relative has the responsibility for putting the murderer to death. When he finds him, he is to kill him.
22. “But suppose anyone accidentally kills someone he does not hate, whether by pushing him down or by throwing something at him.
23. Or suppose that, without looking, anyone throws a stone that kills someone whom he did not intend to hurt and who was not his enemy.
24. In such cases the community shall judge in favour of the one who caused the death and not in favour of the dead person's relative who is seeking revenge.
25. The community is to rescue the one guilty of manslaughter from the dead person's relative, and they are to return him to the city of refuge to which he had escaped. He must live there until the death of the man who is then High Priest.
26. If the one guilty of manslaughter leaves the city of refuge to which he has escaped
27. and if the dead person's relative finds him and kills him, this act of revenge is not murder.