(Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Deuteronomy 19:1–14)
1
The Lord also spake vnto Ioshua, saying,
2
Speake to the children of Israel, and say, Appoint you cities of refuge, whereof I spake vnto you by the hand of Moses,
3
That the slaier that killeth any person by ignorance, and vnwittingly, may flee thither, and they shall be your refuge from the auenger of blood.
4
And he that doeth flee vnto one of those cities, shall stand at the entring of the gate of the citie, and shall shewe his cause to the Elders of the citie: and they shall receiue him into the citie vnto them, and giue him a place, that hee may dwell with them.
5
And if the auenger of blood pursue after him, they shall not deliuer the slaier into his hand because hee smote his neighbour ignorantly, neither hated he him before time:
6
But hee shall dwell in that citie vntill hee stande before the Congregation in iudgement, or vntill the death of the hie Priest that shall be in those daies: then shall the slaier returne, and come vnto his owne citie, and vnto his owne house, euen vnto the citie from whence he fled.
7
Then they appointed Kedesh in Galil in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba, (which is Hebron) in the mountaine of Iudah.
8
And on the other side Iorden toward Iericho Eastward, they appoynted Bezer in the wildernesse vpon the plaine, out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, out of the tribe of Manasseh.
9
These were the cities appoynted for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that soiourned among them, that whosoeuer killed any person ignorantly, might flee thither, and not die by the hande of the auenger of blood, vntill hee stoode before the Congregation.