YHWHיְהוָהspokeוַיְדַבֵּרto Mosesאֶל מֹשֶׁהin the plainsבְּעַרְבֹתof Moabמוֹאָבbyעַלthe Jordanיַרְדֵּןopposite Jericho,יְרֵחוֹsaying,לֵאמֹר
“Commandצַוthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלthat they giveוְנָתְנוּto the Levites,לַלְוִיִּםfrom the inheritanceמִנַּחֲלַתof their possession,אֲחֻזָּתָםcitiesעָרִיםto dwell in;לָשָׁבֶתand pasturelandsוּמִגְרָשׁfor the citiesלֶעָרִיםall around themסְבִיבֹתֵיהֶםyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּto the Levites.לַלְוִיִּם
The citiesוְ הֶעָרִיםshall beהָיוּtheirsלָהֶםto dwell in,לָשָׁבֶתand their pasturelandsוּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶםshall beיִהְיוּfor their beastsלִבְהֶמְתָּםand for their goodsוְלִרְכֻשָׁםand for allוּלְכֹלtheir animals.חַיָּתָם
And the pasturelandsוּמִגְרְשֵׁיof the citiesהֶעָרִיםthatאֲשֶׁרyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּto the Levitesלַלְוִיִּםshall reach from the wallמִקִּירof the cityהָעִירoutwardוָחוּצָהa thousandאֶלֶףcubitsאַמָּהall around.סָבִיב
And you shall measureוּמַדֹּתֶםoutsideמִחוּץthe cityלָעִירthe east sideפְּאַת קֵדְמָהtwo thousandאַלְפַּיִםcubits,בָּאַמָּהand the south sideוְ פְּאַת נֶגֶבtwo thousandאַלְפַּיִםcubits,בָּאַמָּהand the west sideוְ פְּאַת יָםtwo thousandאַלְפַּיִםcubits,בָּאַמָּהand the north sideוְ פְּאַת צָפוֹןtwo thousandאַלְפַּיִםcubits,בָּאַמָּהwith the cityוְהָעִירin the middle;בַּתָּוֶךְthisזֶהshall beיִהְיֶהfor themלָהֶםthe pasturelandsמִגְרְשֵׁיof the cities.הֶעָרִים
And the citiesוְ הֶעָרִיםthatאֲשֶׁרyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּto the Levitesלַלְוִיִּםshall be the sixשֵׁשׁcitiesעָרֵיof refugeהַמִּקְלָטthatאֲשֶׁרyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּfor the manslayerהָרֹצֵחַto fleeלָנֻסthere;שָׁמָּהand in addition to themוַעֲלֵיהֶםyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּforty-twoאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁתַּיִםcities.עִיר
Allכָּלthe citiesהֶעָרִיםthatאֲשֶׁרyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּto the Levitesלַלְוִיִּםshall be forty-eightאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶהcities,עִירthemאֶתְהֶןand their pasturelands.וְ מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן
And the citiesוְהֶעָרִיםthatאֲשֶׁרyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּfrom the possessionמֵאֲחֻזַּתof the sonsבְּנֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלfrom the largeמֵאֵת הָרַבyou shall take more,תַּרְבּוּand from the smallוּמֵאֵת הַמְעַטyou shall take fewer;תַּמְעִיטוּeachאִישׁaccording toכְּפִיhis inheritanceנַחֲלָתוֹthatאֲשֶׁרthey inheritיִנְחָלוּshall giveיִתֵּןof his citiesמֵעָרָיוto the Levites.”לַלְוִיִּם
YHWHיְהוָהspokeוַיְדַבֵּרto Moses,אֶל מֹשֶׁהsaying,לֵּאמֹר
“Speakדַּבֵּרto the sonsאֶל בְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלand sayוְאָמַרְתָּto them:אֲלֵהֶםWhenכִּיyouאַתֶּםcrossעֹבְרִיםthe Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּןinto the landאַרְצָהof Canaan,כְּנָעַן
you shall selectוְהִקְרִיתֶםfor yourselvesלָכֶםcities;עָרִיםthey shall beתִּהְיֶינָהcitiesעָרֵיof refugeמִקְלָטfor you,לָכֶםand the manslayerוְ רֹצֵחַwho strikes downמַכֵּהa personנֶפֶשׁinadvertentlyבִּשְׁגָגָהmay fleeנָסthere.שָׁמָּה
The citiesוְ הֶעָרִיםshall beהָיוּfor youלָכֶםa refugeלְמִקְלָטfrom the avenger,מִגֹּאֵלso that the manslayerוְ הָרֹצֵחַmay notלֹאdieיָמוּתuntilעַדhe standsעָמְדוֹbeforeלִפְנֵיthe communityהָעֵדָהfor judgment.לַמִּשְׁפָּט
And the citiesוְהֶעָרִיםthatאֲשֶׁרyou giveתִּתֵּנוּshall beתִּהְיֶינָהsixשֵׁשׁcitiesעָרֵיof refugeמִקְלָטfor you.לָכֶם
Threeשְׁלֹשׁcitiesהֶעָרִיםyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּbeyondמֵעֵבֶרthe Jordan,לַיַּרְדֵּןand threeוְ שְׁלֹשׁcitiesהֶעָרִיםyou shall giveתִּתְּנוּin the landבְּאֶרֶץof Canaan;כְּנָעַןthey shall beתִּהְיֶינָהcitiesעָרֵיof refuge.מִקְלָט
For the sonsלִבְנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלand for the resident alienוְלַגֵּרand for the temporary residentוְלַתּוֹשָׁבamong themבְּתוֹכָםtheseהָאֵלֶּהsixשֵׁשׁcitiesהֶעָרִיםshall beתִּהְיֶינָהfor refuge,לְמִקְלָטfor anyoneכָּלwho strikes downמַכֵּהa personנֶפֶשׁinadvertentlyבִּשְׁגָגָהto fleeלָנוּסthere.שָׁמָּה
But ifוְאִםwith an objectבִּכְלִיof ironבַרְזֶלhe struck himהִכָּהוּand he died,וַיָּמֹתheהוּאis a manslayer;רֹצֵחַthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַshall surely be put to death.מוֹת יוּמַת
And ifוְאִםwith a handיָדstoneבְּאֶבֶןby whichאֲשֶׁר בָּהּone may dieיָמוּתhe struck himהִכָּהוּand he died,וַיָּמֹתheהוּאis a manslayer;רֹצֵחַthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַshall surely be put to death.מוֹת יוּמַת
Orאוֹwith a woodenעֵץhandיָדobjectבִּכְלִיby whichאֲשֶׁר בּוֹone may dieיָמוּתhe struck himהִכָּהוּand he died,וַיָּמֹתheהוּאis a manslayer;רֹצֵחַthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַshall surely be put to death.מוֹת יוּמַת
The avengerגֹּאֵלof bloodהַדָּםhimselfהוּאshall put to deathיָמִיתthe manslayer;הָרֹצֵחַwhen he meetsבְּפִגְעוֹhim,בוֹheהוּאshall put him to death.יְמִיתֶנּוּ
And ifוְאִםin hatredבְּשִׂנְאָהhe pushed himיֶהְדָּפֶנּוּorאוֹthrew somethingהִשְׁלִיךְat himעָלָיוlying in wait,בִּצְדִיָּהand he died,וַיָּמֹת
orאוֹin enmityבְאֵיבָהstruck himהִכָּהוּwith his handבְיָדוֹand he died,וַיָּמֹתthe one who struckהַמַּכֶּהshall surely be put to death;מוֹת יוּמַתheהוּאis a manslayer.רֹצֵחַThe avengerגֹּאֵלof bloodהַדָּםshall put to deathיָמִיתthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַwhen he meetsבְּפִגְעוֹhim.בוֹ
But ifוְאִםsuddenly,בְּפֶתַעwithoutבְּלֹאenmity,אֵיבָהhe pushed him,הֲדָפוֹorאוֹthrewהִשְׁלִיךְat himעָלָיוanyכָּלobjectכְּלִיwithoutבְּלֹאlying in wait,צְדִיָּה
orאוֹwith anyבְכָלstoneאֶבֶןby whichאֲשֶׁר בָּהּone may die,יָמוּתwithoutבְּלֹאseeing him,רְאוֹתhe let it fallוַיַּפֵּלon himעָלָיוand he died,וַיָּמֹתwhile heוְהוּאwas notלֹאhis enemyאוֹיֵב לוֹand was notוְלֹאseekingמְבַקֵּשׁhis harm,רָעָתוֹ
then the communityוְ הָעֵדָהshall judgeשָׁפְטוּbetween the one who struckבֵּין הַמַּכֶּהand betweenוּבֵיןthe avengerגֹּאֵלof bloodהַדָּםaccording toעַלtheseהָאֵלֶּהrules.הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים
And the communityוְ הָעֵדָהshall deliverהִצִּילוּthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַfrom the handמִיַּדof the avengerגֹּאֵלof blood,הַדָּםand the communityוְ הָעֵדָהshall returnהֵשִׁיבוּhimאֹתוֹto his cityאֶל עִיר וֹof refugeמִקְלָטto whichאֲשֶׁר שָׁמָּהhe had fled;נָסand he shall dwellוְיָשַׁבin itבָּהּuntilעַדthe deathמוֹתof the highהַגָּדֹלpriest,הַכֹּהֵןwhoאֲשֶׁרwas anointedמָשַׁח אֹתוֹwith the holyהַקֹּדֶשׁoil.בְּשֶׁמֶן
But ifוְאִםthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַdoes go outיָצֹא יֵצֵאbeyond the borderגְּבוּלof his cityעִיר וֹof refugeמִקְלָטto whichאֲשֶׁר שָׁמָּהhe fled,יָנוּס
and the avengerוּ גֹּאֵלof bloodהַדָּםfindsמָצָאhimאֹתוֹoutsideמִחוּץthe borderלִגְבוּלof his cityעִיר וֹof refuge,מִקְלָטand the avengerוְ גֹּאֵלof bloodהַדָּםkillsרָצַחthe manslayer,הָרֹצֵחַhe shall haveלוֹnoאֵיןbloodguilt.דָּם
Forכִּיin his cityבְעִיר וֹof refugeמִקְלָטhe must dwellיֵשֵׁבuntilעַדthe deathמוֹתof the highהַגָּדֹלpriest;הַכֹּהֵןand afterוְאַחֲרֵיthe deathמוֹתof the highהַגָּדֹלpriestהַכֹּהֵןthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַmay returnיָשׁוּבto the landאֶל אֶרֶץof his possession.אֲחֻזָּתוֹ
Theseאֵלֶּהshall beוְהָיוּfor youלָכֶםa statuteלְחֻקַּתof justiceמִשְׁפָּטthroughout your generationsלְדֹרֹתֵיכֶםin allבְּכֹלyour dwelling places.מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם
Anyone whoכָּלstrikes downמַכֵּהa person:נֶפֶשׁone shall killיִרְצַחthe manslayerהָרֹצֵחַon the testimonyלְפִיof witnesses;עֵדִיםbut oneוְ אֶחָדwitnessעֵדshall notלֹאtestifyיַעֲנֶהagainst a personבְנֶפֶשׁthat he die.לָמוּת
And you shall notוְלֹאacceptתִקְחוּcompensationכֹפֶרfor the lifeלְנֶפֶשׁof a manslayerרֹצֵחַwhoאֲשֶׁרisהוּאguiltyרָשָׁעof death,לָמוּתforכִּיhe shall surely be put to death.מוֹת יוּמָת
And you shall notוְלֹאacceptתִקְחוּcompensationכֹפֶרfor one who fledלָנוּסto his cityאֶל עִיר וֹof refuge,מִקְלָטto returnלָשׁוּבto dwellלָשֶׁבֶתin the landבָּאָרֶץbeforeעַדthe deathמוֹתof the priest.הַכֹּהֵן
And you shall notוְלֹאpolluteתַחֲנִיפוּthe landהָאָרֶץin whichאֲשֶׁר בָּהּyou are,אַתֶּםforכִּיthe bloodהַדָּםpollutesהוּא יַחֲנִיףthe land;הָאָרֶץand for the landוְלָאָרֶץnoלֹאexpiation can be madeיְכֻפַּרfor the bloodלַדָּםthatאֲשֶׁרis shedשֻׁפַּךְin it,בָּהּexceptכִּי אִםby the bloodבְּדַםof the one who shed it.שֹׁפְכוֹ
You shall notוְלֹאmake uncleanתְטַמֵּאthe landהָאָרֶץin whichאֲשֶׁר בָּהּyouאַתֶּםdwell,יֹשְׁבִיםin the midst of whichאֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכָהּIאֲנִיdwell;שֹׁכֵןforכִּיI,אֲנִיYHWH,יְהוָהdwellשֹׁכֵןin the midstבְּתוֹךְof the sonsבְּנֵיof Israel.”יִשְׂרָאֵל