1God hit up Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho, saying,

2Tell the squad of Israel to hook up the Levites with some cities to chill in, plus give them some suburbs around those spots.

3They’ll have cities to crash in, and the suburbs will be for their cattle, goods, and all their vibes.

4The suburbs you give to the Levites will stretch from the city wall out a thousand cubits all around.

5Measure from outside the city, two thousand cubits on the east, south, west, and north sides; the city will be in the middle, that’s the suburbs for them.

6Among the cities you give to the Levites, there will be six chill spots for refuge for anyone trying to escape; plus, you’ll add forty-two more cities.

7So all the cities you give to the Levites will add up to forty-eight, with their suburbs included.

8The cities you give will be from the squad of Israel: give more from those who got a lot, and less from those who have little; everyone’s gotta share their cities with the Levites based on what they got.

9And God hit up Moses again, saying,

10Tell the squad of Israel, when you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan;

11Yo, you gotta set up some cities as safe spots for real, so the person who accidentally takes a life can bounce there.

12These cities are your safe zones from the avenger, so the manslayer doesn’t get got until they face the squad for judgment.

13Outta these cities, you’re getting six for refuge, no cap.

14Three cities are on this side of Jordan, and three in Canaan, all ready to be safe havens.

15These six cities are lit for the kids of Israel, the outsiders, and anyone passing through, so anyone who accidentally kills can dip there.

16If someone takes out another with iron, that’s straight-up murder: they’re getting the death penalty, periodt.

17If they throw a stone and it leads to death, that’s murder too: they’re getting the death penalty, fr.

18Or if they use a wooden weapon and it causes death, that’s murder, and they’re getting the death penalty, no cap.

19The blood avenger is coming for that murderer: when they meet, it’s game over for them.

20But if they attack out of straight-up hate or set them up, and they die;

21If you lowkey take someone out, that's a whole murder vibe; the one who did it is getting served justice, fr.

22But if it was a total accident, no bad vibes, just a slip-up, then it’s chill.

23Or if you throw a rock and it hits someone without meaning to, and they die, but you weren't enemies or trying to hurt them, that’s sus.

24Then the squad gotta figure out what’s good between the one who did it and the avenger of blood based on these rules.

25The crew will help the one who messed up escape from the avenger and send them back to their safe spot until the high priest kicks the bucket.

26But if the one who messed up dips out of their safe zone at any time,

27And the avenger finds them outside and takes them out, they ain't gonna be in trouble for that.

28'Cause they should’ve stayed in their safe zone until the high priest is gone; after that, they can go back to their own land.

29So these rules are a forever thing for you all, no cap, in every place you chill.

30Anyone who takes a life gets taken out by the crew of witnesses, but one witness can’t just snitch to get someone killed.

31No cap, you can't chill over a murderer’s life; they gotta face the consequences, periodt.

32And you can't just vibe with the dude who ran to the city of safety; he ain't coming back till the priest kicks it.

33Don’t mess up the land you’re living in; blood makes it sus, and it can’t be cleaned up unless the one who spilled it owns up.

34So keep the land where I chill clean, 'cause I, the Lord, be vibing with the kids of Israel.

1And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

2Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.

3And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.

4And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.

5And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.

6And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.

7So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.

8And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

9And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

11Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.

12And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

13And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.

14Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.

15These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

16And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

20But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

21Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

22But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,

23Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:

24Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:

25And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

26But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;

27And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

28Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

29So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

31Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

32And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

33So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

34Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.