1 The LORD3068 also spoke1696 to Joshua,3091 saying,559

2 Speak1696 to the children1121 of Israel,3478 saying,559 Appoint5414 out for you cities5892 of refuge,4733 whereof834 I spoke1696 to you by the hand3027 of Moses:4872

3 That the slayer7523 that kills5221 any person5315 unawares7684 and unwittingly1097 1847 may flee5127 thither:8033 and they shall be your refuge4733 from the avenger1350 of blood.1818

4 And when he that does flee5127 to one259 of those428 cities5892 shall stand5975 at the entering6607 of the gate8179 of the city,5892 and shall declare1696 his cause1697 in the ears241 of the elders2205 of that city,5892 they shall take622 him into the city5892 to them, and give5414 him a place,4725 that he may dwell3427 among5973 them.

5 And if3588 the avenger1350 of blood1818 pursue7291 after310 him, then they shall not deliver5462 the slayer7523 up into his hand;3027 because3588 he smote5221 his neighbor7453 unwittingly,1097 1847 and hated8130 him not beforetime.8543 8032

6 And he shall dwell3427 in that city,5892 until5704 he stand5975 before6440 the congregation5712 for judgment,4941 and until5704 the death4194 of the high1419 priest3548 that shall be in those1992 days:3117 then227 shall the slayer7523 return,7725 and come935 to his own city,5892 and to his own house,1004 to the city5892 from from where834 8033 he fled.5127

7 And they appointed6942 Kedesh6943 in Galilee1551 in mount2022 Naphtali,5321 and Shechem7927 in mount2022 Ephraim,669 and Kirjatharba,7153 which1958 is Hebron,2275 in the mountain2022 of Judah.3063

8 And on the other5676 side5676 Jordan3383 by Jericho3405 eastward,4217 they assigned5414 Bezer1221 in the wilderness4057 on the plain4334 out of the tribe4294 of Reuben,7205 and Ramoth7216 in Gilead1568 out of the tribe4294 of Gad,1410 and Golan1474 in Bashan1316 out of the tribe4294 of Manasseh.4519

9 These428 were the cities5892 appointed4152 for all3605 the children1121 of Israel,3478 and for the stranger1616 that sojournes1481 among8432 them, that whoever3605 kills5221 any person5315 at unawares7684 might flee5127 thither,8033 and not die4191 by the hand3027 of the avenger1350 of blood,1818 until5704 he stood5975 before6440 the congregation.5712