Numbers 35:6–15

⁶“The cities you give the Levites will include six cities of refuge,^g which you will provide so that the one who kills someone may flee there; in addition to these, give forty-two other cities.^{h 7}The total number of cities you give the Levites will be forty-eight, along with their pasturelands.^{i 8}Of the cities that you give from the Israelites’ territory, you should take more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one.^j Each tribe is to give some of its cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance it receives.”

CITIES OF REFUGE

⁹The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁰“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹designate cities to serve as cities of refuge for you, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there.^{k 12}You will have the cities as a refuge from the avenger,^l so that the one who kills someone will not die until he stands trial before the assembly. ¹³The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge. ¹⁴Select three cities across the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan to be cities of refuge.^{m 15}These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the alien or temporary resident among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.