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          DASV: Numbers 35    

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the
Jordan River across from Jericho, saying,
2 "Command the Israelites that they give the Levites towns to
live in from their land inheritance that they possess.
Also give the Levites the pasture lands surrounding the towns.
3 So they will have towns to live in and pasture lands for
their cattle, livestock and all their other animals.
4 The pasture lands of the towns you are giving to the
Levites should extend 500 yards from the town wall all
the way around it.
5 Measure outside the town 1000 yards on the east side,
1000 yards on the south side, 1000 yards on the west side
and 1000 yards on the north side, with the town being in
the middle. This will be their extended pasture lands
for their towns.
6 Among the towns you give to the Levites will be six cities
of refuge, to which a person who has accidentally killed
someone may flee. Besides those, give them forty-two
other towns.
7 The total number of towns you are to give the Levites is
forty-eight along with their pasture lands.
8 The towns that you give them will come from the property
of the Israelites. From the larger tribes you shall take
many; and from the smaller tribes you shall take fewer,
each are to give of towns to the Levites according to their
inheritance."

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
10 "Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them,
'When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan,
11 select towns to be cities of refuge for you, so that
a person who accidently kills someone may flee.
12 These towns will be a refuge for you from the avenger,
so that the one who has killed someone may not die until
he stands trial before the congregation.
13 Designate six towns as cities of refuge for yourselves.
14 Give three towns on the other side of the Jordan,
and give three towns in the land of Canaan as cities
of refuge.
15 For the Israelites and the resident or transient
foreigner these six cities will be a place of refuge;
so that anyone who kills someone accidentally may
flee there.
16 But if he strikes him with an iron instrument,
so that he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer must
surely be put to death.
17 If he strikes him with a stone in the hand that could
kill, and the victim does die, he is a murderer.
The murderer must surely be put to death.
18 If he strikes him with a wooden weapon in the hand
that could kill, and the victim does die, he is a murderer.
The murderer must surely be put to death.
19 The avenger of blood himself will put the murderer
to death, when he meets him, he must put the murderer
to death.
20 If someone pushes him out of hatred, or throws
something at him, intentionally lying in wait,
so that he dies,
21 or in hatred strikes him with his hand so that he dies;
then the one who hit him must surely be put to death;
he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must put the
murderer to death when he meets him.
22 But if he pushes him suddenly without enmity,
or throws something at him unintentionally without
lying in wait,
23 or with a stone large enough to kill someone,
without seeing him and throws it on him, so that
he dies, but he was not his enemy, and was not
seeking to harm him;
24 then the congregation will judge between the
slayer and the avenger of blood according to
these regulations.
25 The congregation must protect the slayer from the
hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation
will restore him to his city of refuge, where
he fled. He must live there until the death
of the high priest, who was anointed with the
holy oil.

26 But if the slayer at any time goes beyond the
border of his city of refuge to which he fled,
27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the
border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of
blood kills the slayer, he will not be guilty of blood,
28 because he should have remained in his city of
refuge until the death of the high priest but after
the death of the high priest the slayer may return
home to the land of his possession.
29 These things will be a statute for you throughout
your generations wherever you live.
30 Whoever kills a person, the murderer will be
slain only on the testimony of multiple witnesses.
No one may be put to death based on the testimony
of one person.
31 Moreover you must not accept a ransom for the life
of a murderer who is guilty of death. He must
surely be put to death.
32 You must not accept a ransom for someone who has
fled to a city of refuge, so that he may return home
to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.
33 You must not pollute the land where you live,
for blood pollutes the land and there is no cleansing
that can be made for the land concerning the blood
that was shed there except by the blood of the one
who shed it.
34 Do not defile the land where you live and where
I also live, for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.'"

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