1. Then the Lord said to Joshua:
2. “Tell the Israelites to choose the special cities of safety. This is what I had Moses command you to do.
3. A person might kill someone accidentally and without meaning to kill him. He may go to a city of safety to hide. There he will be safe from the relative who has the duty of punishing a murderer.
4. “This is what he must do. When he runs to one of those cities, he must stop at the entrance gate. He must stand there and tell the leaders of the people what happened. Then they will allow him to enter the city. They will give him a place to live among them.