And now the Lord gave Josue this message for the sons of Israel;

You must choose out sanctuary towns, as Moses in my name commanded you.

These will offer refuge to anyone who has slain a man by misadventure, and escaped from the vengeance of his kinsmen.

Taking flight to one of these cities, he will stand before the gates and call upon the city elders to declare him innocent; whereupon they must admit him, and grant him a dwelling-place.

When the avenger comes in pursuit, demanding blood for blood, they will not give up the fugitive. He has slain his neighbour unwittingly, and cannot be shewn to have borne malice against him beforehand.

In that city he will live, until he has been put on trial for his offence, and again until the death of the high priest who then holds office.✻ After that, the man who has shed blood may return to his own city and home, taking sanctuary no longer.

Their choice fell on Cedes, in the pale of the Nephthali hill-country,✻ Sichem among the hills of Ephraim, and Cariath-Arbe (or Hebron) among the hills of Juda.

Across the Jordan, east of Jericho, they agreed on Bosor, on the desert lowlands, for Ruben; Ramoth, in Galaad, for Gad; and Gaulon, in Basan, for Manasses.

Israelite or alien who had shed blood unwittingly, and would escape from the vengeance of the next of kin, must make his way to one of the cities thus set apart, until he could stand his trial before the people.