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The Lord spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab across from Jericho by the Jordan River. He said,
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"Command the Israelites to give the Levites cities to live in from the land they receive. Also give the Levites the pastureland around these cities.
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Then the Levites will have cities where they may live and pastureland for their cattle, flocks, and other animals.
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The pastureland you give the Levites will extend fifteen hundred feet from the city wall.
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Also measure three thousand feet in each direction outside the city wall -- three thousand feet east of the city, three thousand feet south of the city, three thousand feet west of the city, and three thousand feet north of the city, with the city in the center. This will be pastureland for the Levites' cities.
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"Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of safety. A person who accidentally kills someone may run to one of those cities for safety. You must also give forty-two other cities to the Levites;
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give the Levites a total of forty-eight cities and their pastures.
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The larger tribes of Israel must give more cities, and the smaller tribes must give fewer cities. Each tribe must give some of its cities to the Levites, but the number of cities they give will depend on the size of their land."
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Then the Lord said to Moses,
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"Tell the Israelites these things: 'When you cross the Jordan River and go into Canaan,
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you must choose cities to be cities of safety, so that a person who accidentally kills someone may run to them for safety.