1
And the Lord spake to Joshua, and said,
2
Speak thou to the sons of Israel, and say thou to them, Separate ye (out) the cities of fugitives, either of men exiled for (the) unwillful shedding of blood, of which cities I spake to you by the hand of Moses, (Speak thou to the Israelites, and say thou to them, Ordain ye the cities of refuge for those who be exiled for the unwillful, or the unintentional, shedding of blood, of which cities I spoke to you by Moses,)
3
that whoever slayeth unwittingly a man, flee to those cities; that when he hath fled to one of those cities, he may escape the ire of the neighbour, which is venger of blood. (so that whoever unwittingly killeth someone, can flee to those cities; so that when he hath fled to one of these cities, he can escape the anger of the neighbour, who avengeth the blood.)
4
And he shall stand before the gates of the city, and he shall speak to the elder men of that city those things that shall prove him(self) innocent; and so they shall receive him, and they shall give to him a place to dwell in.
5
And when the venger of blood pursueth him, they of that city shall not betake him into the hands of the venger; for unwittingly he killed his neighbour (for he killed his neighbour unwittingly, or unintentionally), and he is not proved (to be) his enemy before the second day either the third day.
6
And he shall dwell in that city, till he stand before the doom, and yield, or show, the cause of his deed. And he that killed a man, dwell in that city, till the great priest die, which is in that time; then the manslayer shall turn again, and he shall enter into his city, and house, from which he fled. (And he shall remain in that city, until he stand before the judge, and show the reason for his deed. And he who killed someone, shall stay in that city, until the High Priest die, who is in office at that time; then the man-killer shall return, and he shall enter into his city, and into his house, from which he fled.)