And Jehovah{H3068} spake{H1696} unto Joshua,{H3091} saying,{H559}

Speak{H1696} to the children{H1121} of Israel,{H3478} saying,{H559} Assign you{H5414} the cities{H5892} of refuge,{H4733} whereof I spake{H1696} unto you by{H3027} Moses,{H4872}

that the manslayer{H7523} that killeth{H5221} any person{H5315} unwittingly{H7684} [and] unawares{H7684} may flee{H5127} thither: and they shall be unto you for a refuge{H4733} from the avenger{H1350} of blood.{H1818}

And he shall flee{H5127} unto one{H259} of those cities,{H5892} and shall stand{H5975} at the entrance{H6607} of the gate{H8179} of the city,{H5892} and declare{H1696} his cause{H1697} in the ears{H241} of the elders{H2205} of that city;{H5892} and they shall take{H622} him into the city{H5892} unto them, and give{H5414} him a place,{H4725} that he may dwell{H3427} among them.

And if the avenger{H1350} of blood{H1818} pursue{H7291} after{H310} him, then they shall not deliver{H5462} up the manslayer{H7523} into his hand;{H3027} because he smote{H5221} his neighbor{H7453} unawares,{H1097} and hated{H8130} him not beforetime.{H8543}

And he shall dwell{H3427} in that city,{H5892} until he stand{H5975} before{H6440} the congregation{H5712} for judgment,{H4941} until the death{H4194} of the high{H1419} priest{H3548} that{H834} shall be in those days:{H3117} then shall the manslayer{H7523} return,{H7725} and come{H935} unto his own city,{H5892} and unto his own house,{H1004} unto the city{H5892} from whence he fled.{H5127}

And they set apart{H6942} Kedesh{H6943} in Galilee{H1551} in the hill-country{H2022} of Naphtali,{H5321} and Shechem{H7927} in the hill-country{H2022} of Ephraim,{H669} and Kiriath-arba{H7153} (the same is Hebron){H2275} in the hill-country{H2022} of Judah.{H3063}

And beyond{H5676} the Jordan{H3383} at Jericho{H3405} eastward,{H4217} they assigned{H5414} Bezer{H1221} in the wilderness{H4057} in the plain{H4334} out of the tribe{H4294} of Reuben,{H7205} and Ramoth{H7216} in Gilead{H1568} out of the tribe{H4294} of Gad,{H1410} and Golan{H1474} in Bashan{H1316} out of the tribe{H4294} of Manasseh.{H4519}

These were the appointed{H4152} cities{H5892} for all the children{H1121} of Israel,{H3478} and for the stranger{H1616} that sojourneth{H1481} among{H8432} them, that whosoever killeth{H5221} any person{H5315} unwittingly{H7684} might flee{H5127} thither, and not die{H4191} by the hand{H3027} of the avenger{H1350} of blood,{H1818} until he stood{H5975} before{H6440} the congregation.{H5712}