2. “Command the Israelites to give the Levites cities to live in from the land they receive. Also give the Levites the pastureland around these cities.
3. Then the Levites will have cities where they may live and pastureland for their cattle, flocks, and other animals.
4. The pastureland you give the Levites will extend fifteen hundred feet from the city wall.
5. Also measure three thousand feet in each direction outside the city wall—three thousand feet east of the city, three thousand feet south of the city, three thousand feet west of the city, and three thousand feet north of the city, with the city in the center. This will be pastureland for the Levites’ cities.
6. “Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of safety. A person who accidentally kills someone may run to one of those cities for safety. You must also give forty-two other cities to the Levites;
7. give the Levites a total of forty-eight cities and their pastures.
8. The larger tribes of Israel must give more cities, and the smaller tribes must give fewer cities. Each tribe must give some of its cities to the Levites, but the number of cities they give will depend on the size of their land.”
9. Then the Lord said to Moses,
10. “Tell the Israelites these things: ‘When you cross the Jordan River and go into Canaan,
11. you must choose cities to be cities of safety, so that a person who accidentally kills someone may run to them for safety.
12. There the person will be safe from the dead person’s relative who has the duty of punishing the killer. He will not die before he receives a fair trial in court.
13. The six cities you give will be cities of safety.
14. Give three cities east of the Jordan River and three cities in Canaan as cities of safety.
15. These six cities will be places of safety for citizens of Israel, as well as for foreigners and other people living with you. Any of these people who accidentally kills someone may run to one of these cities.
16. “ ‘Anyone who uses an iron weapon to kill someone is a murderer. He must be put to death.
17. Anyone who takes a rock and kills a person with it is a murderer. He must be put to death.