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The slayer may remain in that city until there is a trial before the congregation. And when the high priest who currently holds the office dies, then the slayer may return home to the town from which he fled.”

God asks the people to set aside places of sanctuary. This is a violent time, and people often take justice into their own hands. But these cities of refuge are set aside as places where those who have accidentally killed someone might be safe from avenging relatives until a determination of guilt might be made.

So they set apart and consecrated Kedesh in Galilee (in the hill country of Naphtali), Shechem (in the hill country of Ephraim), and Kiriath-arba (Hebron, in the hill country of Judah). Beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer (in the desert plateau from the tribe of Reuben), Ramoth in Gilead (from the tribe of Gad), and Golan in Bashan (from the tribe of Manasseh).

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They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly(A) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”

So they set apart Kedesh(B) in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem(C) in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba(D) (that is, Hebron(E)) in the hill country of Judah.(F) East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer(G) in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead(H) in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan(I) in the tribe of Manasseh.

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