Numbers 35:9-15

Contemporary English Version

The Safe Towns

(Deuteronomy 19.1-13; Joshua 20.1-9)

^9 (A) The Lord then told Moses ¹⁰ to tell the people of Israel:

After you have crossed the Jordan River and are settled in Canaan, ¹¹ choose Safe Towns, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can run for protection. ¹² If the victim's relatives think it was murder, they might try to take revenge.^[a] Anyone accused of murder can run to one of these Safe Towns for protection and not be killed before a trial is held.

¹³ There are to be six of these Safe Towns, ¹⁴ three on each side of the Jordan River. ¹⁵ They will be places of protection for anyone who lives in Israel and accidentally kills someone.