Numbers 35

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The LORD gave these instructions to Moses on the plains of Moab beside the Jericho stretch of the Jordan:	1 And the Lord also spoke these things to Moses in the plains of Moab, above the Jordan, opposite Jericho:
2 "Tell the Israelites that out of their hereditary property they shall give the Levites cities for homes, as well as pasture lands around the cities.	2 “Instruct the sons of Israel, so that they may give to the Levites, from their possessions,
3 The cities shall serve them to dwell in, and the pasture lands shall serve their herds and flocks and other animals.	3 cities as dwelling places, with their surrounding suburbs, so that they may lodge in the towns, and so that the suburbs may be for cattle and beasts of burden.
4 The pasture lands of the cities to be assigned the Levites shall extend a thousand cubits from the city walls in each direction.	4 The suburbs shall extend from the outer walls of the cities, all around, for the space of one thousand steps.
5 Thus you shall measure out two thousand cubits outside the city along each side-east, south, west and north-with the city lying in the center. This shall serve them as the pasture lands of their cities.	5 Facing the east, there shall be two thousand cubits, and facing the south, similarly, there shall be two thousand cubits. Toward the sea, also, which looks out toward the west, there shall be the same measure, and the northern region shall be bounded by equal limits. And the cities shall be in the center, and the suburbs shall be outside.
6 "Now these are the cities you shall give to the Levites: the six cities of asylum which you must establish as places where a homicide can take refuge, and in addition forty-two other cities--	6 Now, from the towns which you shall give to the Levites, six shall be separated for the assistance of fugitives, so that he who has shed blood may flee to them. And, aside from these, there shall be forty-two other towns,
7 a total of forty-eight cities with their pasture lands to be assigned the Levites.	7 that is, all together forty-eight with their suburbs.
8 In assigning the cities from the property of the Israelites, take more from a larger group and fewer from a smaller one, so that each group will cede cities to the Levites in proportion to its own heritage."	8 And concerning these cities, which shall be given from the possessions of the sons of Israel: from those who have more, more shall be taken, and from those who have less, less shall be taken. Each shall give towns to the Levites according to the measure of their inheritance.”
9 The LORD said to Moses,	9 The Lord said to Moses:
10 "Tell the Israelites: When you go across the Jordan into the land of Canaan,	10 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: When you will have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11 select for yourselves cities to serve as cities of asylum, where a homicide who has killed someone unintentionally may take refuge.	11 discern which cities ought to be for the protection of fugitives who have shed blood unwillingly.
12 These cities shall serve you as places of asylum from the avenger of blood, so that a homicide shall not be put to death unless he is first tried before the community.	12 And when a fugitive is in these, the kinsman of the deceased shall not be able to kill him, until he stands in the sight of the multitude and his case is judged.
13 Six cities of asylum shall you assign:	13 Then, among those cities which are separated for relief to fugitives,
14 three beyond the Jordan, and three in the land of Canaan.	14 three shall be across the Jordan, and three in the land of Canaan,
15 These six cities of asylum shall serve not only the Israelites but all the resident or transient aliens among them, so that anyone who has killed another unintentionally may take refuge there.	15 as much for the sons of Israel as for newcomers and sojourners, so that anyone who has shed blood unwillingly may flee to these places.
16 "If a man strikes another with an iron instrument and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.	16 If anyone will have struck someone with iron, and he who was struck will have died, then he shall be guilty of homicide, and he himself shall die.
17 If a man strikes another with a death-dealing stone in his hand and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.	17 If he will have thrown a stone, and he who has been struck lies dead, then he shall be punished similarly.
18 If a man strikes another with a death-dealing club in his hand and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.	18 If he who has been struck with wood passes away, he shall be avenged by the blood of the one who struck him.
19 The avenger of blood may execute the murderer, putting him to death on sight.	19 The close relative of the deceased shall put to death the murderer; as soon as he apprehends him, he shall put him to death.
20 "If a man pushes another out of hatred, or after lying in wait for him throws something at him, and causes his death,	20 If, out of hatred, anyone assaults a man, or throws anything at him with ill intent,
21 or if he strikes another out of enmity and causes his death, he shall be put to death as a murderer. The avenger of blood may execute the murderer on sight.	21 or, while being his enemy, strikes him with his hand, and so he has died, the attacker shall be guilty of murder. The kinsman of the deceased, as soon as he finds him, shall cut his throat.
22 "However, if a man pushes another accidentally and not out of enmity, or if without lying in wait for him he throws some object at him,	22 But if by chance, and without hatred
23 or without seeing him throws a death-dealing stone which strikes him and causes his death, although he was not his enemy nor seeking to harm him:	23 or animosity, he will have done any of these things,
24 then the community, deciding the case between the slayer and the avenger of blood in accordance with these norms,	24 and this has been proven in the hearing of the people, and the questions have been aired, between the one who struck and the close relative,
25 shall free the homicide from the avenger of blood and shall remand him to the city of asylum where he took refuge; and he shall stay there until the death of the high priest who has been anointed with sacred oil.	25 then the innocent one shall be freed from the hand of the revenger, and he shall be returned by this judgment into the city to which he had fled, and he shall stay there until the high priest, who has been anointed with the holy oil, dies.
26 If the homicide of his own accord leaves the bounds of the city of asylum where he has taken refuge,	26 If the one who has killed has been found beyond the limits of the cities which have been assigned to the exiled,
27 and the avenger of blood finds him beyond these bounds and kills him, the avenger incurs no bloodguilt;	27 and he has been struck by him who is avenging blood, he who killed him shall not be harmed.
28 the homicide was bound to stay in his city of asylum until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest may the homicide return to his own district.	28 For the fugitive ought to have resided in the city, until the death of the high priest. Then, after he is dead, the one who has killed shall be returned to his own land.
29 "These shall be norms for you and all your descendants, wherever you live, for rendering judgment.	29 These things shall be a perpetual ordinance in all your habitations.
30 "Whenever someone kills another, the evidence of witnesses is required for the execution of the murderer. The evidence of a single witness is not sufficient for putting a person to death.	30 The punishment of a murderer shall be based upon testimony; but no one shall be condemned upon the testimony of only one person.
31 "You shall not accept indemnity in place of the life of a murderer who deserves the death penalty; he must be put to death.	31 You shall not accept money from him who is guilty of blood, and he shall be put to death promptly.
32 Nor shall you accept indemnity to allow a refugee to leave his city of asylum and again dwell elsewhere in the land before the death of the high priest.	32 Exiles and fugitives, prior to the death of the high priest, are by no means able to be returned to their own cities.
33 You shall not desecrate the land where you live. Since bloodshed desecrates the land, the land can have no atonement for the blood shed on it except through the blood of him who shed it.	33 Do not pollute the land of your habitation, so as to stain it with the blood of the innocent; neither is it able to be expiated in any way other than by the blood of him who has shed the blood of another.
34 Do not defile the land in which you live and in the midst of which I dwell; for I am the LORD who dwells in the midst of the Israelites."	34 And so shall your possession be cleansed, while I myself am abiding with you. For I am the Lord, who lives among the sons of Israel.”