7. This is why I’m commanding you to set aside three cities for yourselves.
8. The Lord your God may expand your country’s borders as he promised your ancestors with an oath. He may give you the whole land he promised to give them.
9. He may do this because you faithfully obey all these commands I am now giving you—to love the Lord your God and follow his directions as long as you live. If this happens, you may add three more cities of refuge to these three.
10. That way, innocent people won’t be killed in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you won’t be guilty of murder.
11. Suppose someone hates another person, waits in ambush for him, attacks him, takes his life, and runs to one of these cities.
12. If someone does this, the leaders of your city must send for that person. They must take him from that city and hand him over to the relative who has the authority to avenge the death. He must die.
13. They must have no pity on him. The guilt of murdering an innocent person must be removed from Israel. Then things will go well for Israel.
14. Never move your neighbor’s original boundary marker on any property in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.