35On the flatlands of Moab, the Lord spoke to Moses. It was by the Jordan River across from Jericho. The Lord said, ²“Command the people of Israel to give the Levites towns to live in. The towns must come from the shares of land the people will have as their own. Also give the Levites the grasslands that are around the towns. ³Then the Levites will have towns to live in. They will also have grasslands that are for their cattle, flocks and all of their other livestock.

⁴“The grasslands that are around each town you give them will go out to 1,500 feet from the town wall. ⁵Outside each town, the east side will measure 3,000 feet. The south side will measure 3,000 feet. The west side will measure 3,000 feet. And the north side will measure 3,000 feet. The town must be in the center. The Levites will have the area around it as grasslands.

Cities to Go to for Safety

⁶“Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities to go to for safety. A person who has killed someone can run to one of them. Also give the Levites 42 other towns. ⁷You must give the Levites a total of 48 towns. Also give them the grasslands that are around the towns.

⁸“The towns you give the Levites must come from the land the people of Israel have as their own. So the number you give from each tribe will depend on the size of that tribe’s share. Take many towns from a tribe that has many. But take only a few towns from a tribe that has only a few.”

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