1 耶和华在耶利哥对面， 约旦河边的摩押平原， 对摩西说：
2 "你要吩咐以色列人， 叫他们从所得为业的地中， 把一些城给利未人居住， 也把这些城周围的郊区给利未人。
3 这些城要归他们居住， 城的郊区可以牧放他们的牛羊和一切牲畜， 也可以存放他们的财物。
4 "你们给利未人的城郊， 要从城墙起， 周围向外量四百五十公尺。
5 你们又要从城外， 向东面量九百公尺， 向南面量九百公尺， 向西面量九百公尺， 向北面量九百公尺， 城在中间； 这要归给他们作城外的郊区。
6 你们分给利未人的城， 其中要有六座避难城， 让误杀人的可以逃到那里去， 此外还要给他们四十二座城。
7 这样， 你们所要给利未人的城， 共为四十八座， 连城带城郊都要给他们。
8 从以色列人所得的地业中， 你们要把一些城给利未人， 人多的就要多给， 人少的就要少给； 每个支派要照着自己承受的产业， 把城分给利未人。"
9 耶和华对摩西说：
10 "你要吩咐以色列人说： ‘你们过约旦河， 进到迦南地的时候，
11 就要选择几座城， 给你们作避难城， 让误杀人的， 就是无心杀死人的， 可以逃到那里。
12 它们可以作你们逃避报仇者的避难城， 使误杀人的不至于死， 直到他站在会众面前受审判。
13 你们指定的城， 要给你们作六座避难城。
14 在约旦河东面， 你们要分出三座城； 在迦南地， 你们也要分出三座城， 都要作避难城。
15 这六座城要给以色列人和外族人， 以及他们中间居住的人作避难城， 使无心杀人的人， 都可以逃到那里去。
16 "‘如果人用铁器打人， 以致把人打死， 他就是故意杀人的； 故意杀人的必被处死。
17 如果人手里拿着可以打死人的石头打人， 以致把人打死， 他就是故意杀人的； 故意杀人的必被处死。
18 如果人手里拿着可以打死人的木器打人， 以致把人打死， 他就是故意杀人的； 故意杀人的必被处死。
19 报血仇的， 要亲自把那故意杀人的杀死； 一遇见他， 就可以杀死他。
20 如果人因怀恨把人推倒， 或是埋伏着向人扔东西， 以致把人打死；
21 或者因仇恨用手打人， 以致把人打死； 那打人的， 必被处死， 因为他是故意杀人的； 报血仇的一遇见凶手， 就可以杀死他。
22 "‘但是， 如果人没有仇恨， 忽然把人推倒， 或是无意向人投掷什么器皿，
23 或是因为没有看见， 用任何可以打死人的石头， 扔在人身上， 以致把人打死， 他本来与他无仇， 也无意害他；
24 这样， 会众就要照着典章， 在打死人的和报血仇的人中间施行裁判。
25 会众要把误杀人的， 从报血仇的人手中救出来； 他要住在城中， 直到受膏的大祭司死了。
26 但误杀人的， 若是出了他逃进的避难城的境界，
27 报血仇的在避难城境外遇着他， 把他杀了， 报血仇的就没有犯流人血的罪。
28 因为那误杀人的应该住在避难城中， 直到大祭司死了； 大祭司死了以后， 那误杀人的才可以回到他自己地业去。
29 "‘这在你们一切居住的地方， 要作你们世世代代的律例典章。
30 杀人的， 要凭着几个见证人的口供， 才可以把他处死； 如果只有一个见证人， 就不能指证把人处死。
31 犯了死罪， 故意杀人的， 你们不可收取赎价代他赎命， 因为他必被处死。
32 逃到避难城的人， 你们也不可收取他的赎价， 使他在大祭司未死以前回到本地居住。
33 这样， 你们就没有玷污你们居住的地， 因为血能玷污地； 在地上如果有流人血的， 除非流那故意杀人者的血， 那地的血就不能得赎。
34 你们不可玷污你所住的地， 就是我居住的地， 因为我耶和华是居住在以色列人中间的。’"
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall ye give unto the Levites. 3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and their suburbs shall be for their cattle, and for their substance, and for all their beasts. 4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. 5 And ye shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. 6 And the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which ye shall give for the manslayer to flee unto: and besides them ye shall give forty and two cities. 7 All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities; them shall ye give with their suburbs. 8 And concerning the cities which ye shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many ye shall take many; and from the few ye shall take few: every one according to his inheritance which he inheriteth shall give of his cities unto the Levites.
9 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither. 12 And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment. 13 And the cities which ye shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge. 14 Ye shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. 15 For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that every one that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither.
16 But if he smote him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he smote him with a stone in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death. 20 And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, 21 or in enmity smote him with his hand, so that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meeteth him.
22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him anything without lying in wait, 23 or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; 24 then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; 25 and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth, 27 and the avenger of blood find him without the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slay the manslayer; he shall 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 manslayer shall return into the land of his possession.
29 And these things shall be for a statute and ordinance unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die. 31 Moreover ye shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer, that is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death. 32 And ye shall take no ransom for him that is fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. 33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood, it polluteth the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. 34 And thou shalt not defile the land which ye inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell: for I, Jehovah, dwell in the midst of the children of Israel.