1
The LORD[H3068] also spake[H1696] unto Joshua[H3091], saying[H559],
2Speak[H1696] to the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478], saying[H559], Appoint out[H5414] for you cities[H5892] of refuge[H4733], whereof I spake[H1696] unto you by the hand[H3027] of Moses[H4872]:
3
That the slayer[H7523] that killeth[H5221] any person[H5315]unawares[H7684] and unwittingly[H1847] may flee[H5127] thither: and they shall be your refuge[H4733] from the avenger[H1350] of blood[H1818].
4
And when he that doth flee[H5127] unto one[H259] of those cities[H5892] shall stand[H5975] at the entering[H6607] of the gate[H8179] of the city[H5892], and shall declare[H1696] his cause[H1697] in the ears[H241] of the elders[H2205] of that city[H5892], they shall take[H622] him into the city[H5892] unto them, and give[H5414] him a place[H4725], that he may dwell[H3427] among them.
5
And if the avenger[H1350] of blood[H1818]pursue[H7291]after[H310] him, then they shall not deliver[H5462] the slayer[H7523] up into his hand[H3027]; because he smote[H5221] his neighbour[H7453]unwittingly[H1097], and hated[H8130] him not beforetime[H8543].
6
And he shall dwell[H3427] in that[H834]city[H5892], until he stand[H5975]before[H6440] the congregation[H5712] for judgment[H4941], and until the death[H4194] of the high[H1419]priest[H3548]that[H834] shall be in those days[H3117]: then shall the slayer[H7523]return[H7725], and come[H935] unto his own city[H5892], and unto his own house[H1004], unto the city[H5892] from whence he fled[H5127].
7
And they appointed[H6942]Kedesh[H6943] in Galilee[H1551] in mount[H2022]Naphtali[H5321], and Shechem[H7927] in mount[H2022]Ephraim[H669], and Kirjatharba[H7153], which is Hebron[H2275], in the mountain[H2022] of Judah[H3063].
8
And on the other side[H5676]Jordan[H3383] by Jericho[H3405]eastward[H4217], they assigned[H5414]Bezer[H1221] in the wilderness[H4057] upon the plain[H4334] out of the tribe[H4294] of Reuben[H7205], and Ramoth[H7216] in Gilead[H1568] out of the tribe[H4294] of Gad[H1410], and Golan[H1474] in Bashan[H1316] out of the tribe[H4294] of Manasseh[H4519].
9
These were the cities[H5892]appointed[H4152] for all the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478], and for the stranger[H1616] that sojourneth[H1481]among[H8432] them, that whosoever killeth[H5221] any person[H5315] at unawares[H7684] might flee[H5127] thither, and not die[H4191] by the hand[H3027] of the avenger[H1350] of blood[H1818], until he stood[H5975]before[H6440] the congregation[H5712].