1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. 3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. 4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. 5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. 6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. 7 So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. 8 And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.
9 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. 12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment. 13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. 14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. 16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. 20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. 22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, 23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: 24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: 28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. 29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. 31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. 32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. 33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. 34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.
Levītu pilsētas
1 Un Kungs sacīja Mozum Moāba klajumos pie Jardānas pretī Jērikai: 2 “Pavēli Israēla dēliem, lai tie dod levītiem pilsētas no sava mantojuma, kur tie var dzīvot, un lai dod levītiem ganības ap pilsētām. 3 Lai viņiem ir pilsētas, kur dzīvot, un ganības viņu lopiem – visai viņu mantībai un visām radībām. 4 Pilsētas ganības, ko tu dosi levītiem, lai ir tūkstoš elkoņus visapkārt pilsētas mūrim. 5 Nomēri ārpus pilsētas uz austrumu pusi divus tūkstošus elkoņu un uz dienvidu pusi divus tūkstošus elkoņu, un uz rietumu pusi divus tūkstošus elkoņu, un uz ziemeļu pusi divus tūkstošus elkoņu, vidū lai ir pilsēta – tādas lai tiem ir ganības ap viņu pilsētām. 6 Un no pilsētām, ko dodat levītiem, sešas pilsētas lai ir patvēruma pilsētas, kur atļauts bēgt slepkavām, un bez šīm lai ir vēl četrdesmit divas pilsētas. 7 Visas pilsētas, ko jūs dodat levītiem, lai pavisam ir četrdesmit astoņas un kopā ar tām ganības. 8 Bet ar pilsētām, ko jūs dodat no Israēla dēlu īpašuma, dariet tā – lielākā cilts lai dod vairāk, bet mazākā cilts lai dod mazāk – katra lai dod levītiem samērā ar savu mantojumu.”
Patvēruma pilsētas
(5Moz 19:1–13Joz 20:1–9)9 Un Kungs sacīja Mozum: 10 “Runā uz Israēla dēliem un saki tiem: kad jūs ieiesiet pār Jardānu Kanaāna zemē, 11 tad izraugieties sev pilsētas, kas jums būs patvēruma pilsētas, lai uz turieni var bēgt slepkava, kas kādu nokāvis neapzināti. 12 Tās pilsētas lai jums ir patvērums no atriebēja, lai slepkava nemirst, pirms nav stājies sapulces tiesas priekšā. 13 Lai jums ir sešas patvēruma pilsētas. 14 Trīs pilsētas lai ir šaipus Jardānas un trīs pilsētas Kanaāna zemē – tās ir patvēruma pilsētas. 15 Gan Israēla dēliem, gan svešiniekam, gan tādam, kas pie tiem apmeties, šīs pilsētas lai ir patvērums, lai uz turieni var bēgt ikviens, kas nogalinājis neapzināti.
Par slepkavību un asinsatriebību
16 Bet, ja viņš kādu sitis ar dzelzi un tas miris, tad viņš ir slepkava – lai viņš mirtin mirst, viņš ir slepkava. 17 Bet, ja viņš kādu sitis ar akmeni, ar ko var nosist, un tas nomiris, tad viņš ir slepkava – lai viņš mirtin mirst, viņš ir slepkava. 18 Ja viņš kādu sitis ar koku, ar ko var nosist, un tas nomiris, tad viņš ir slepkava – lai mirtin mirst slepkava! 19 Asins atriebējs pats lai nonāvē slepkavu – kad satiek, tad lai nonāvē. 20 Bet, ja kāds naida dēļ kādu pagrūž vai uzglūnējis sviež ar kaut ko un tas mirst, 21 vai viņš ienaidā sit kādu ar roku un tas mirst, tad lai mirtin mirst tas, kas sitis, viņš ir slepkava – asins atriebējs lai nonāvē slepkavu, kad to satiek!
22 Bet, ja viņš kādu piepeši pagrūž bez naida vai ar kaut ko iesviež viņam neuzglūnējis, 23 vai arī neredzēdams iesviež tam ar kādu akmeni, ar ko var nosist, un tas nomirst – bet viņš tam nav bijis ne ienaidnieks, nedz gribējis ko ļaunu –, 24 tad lai sapulce iztiesā starp sitēju un asinsatriebēju pēc šīs tiesas. 25 Sapulce lai glābj slepkavu no asinsatriebēja, lai sapulce viņu sūta atpakaļ uz patvēruma pilsētu, kurp viņš bija aizbēdzis; tur viņš lai mīt, līdz nomirst augstais priesteris, kas svaidīts ar eļļu. 26 Bet, ja slepkava iziet ārpus patvēruma pilsētas robežām, kurp viņš aizbēdzis, 27 un asinsatriebējs viņu atrod ārpus patvēruma pilsētas robežām, un asinsatriebējs nokauj slepkavu, tad viņam nav asins vainas, 28 jo tam bija jāpaliek savā patvēruma pilsētā līdz augstā priestera nāvei, tikai pēc augstā priestera nāves slepkava varēja atgriezties sava īpašuma zemē. 29 Šis jums lai ir tiesas likums uz jūsu paaudzēm it visur, kur jūs mītat.
30 Slepkavu – ikvienu, kas kādu nokāvis, lai nokauj, ja ir liecinieki. Viens liecinieks nevar pret kādu liecināt uz nāvi. 31 Neņemiet neko grēka izlīgumam par slepkavu, kas vainīgs pie kāda nāves, – lai tas mirtin mirst. 32 Neveiciet izlīgumu par tā grēku, kurš aizbēdzis uz patvēruma pilsētu, – lai viņš neatgriežas dzīvot savā zemē pirms augstā priestera nāves. 33 Neapgāniet zemi, kur jūs mītat, jo asinis apgāna zemi, un zemei nevar veikt izlīgumu par grēku – par asinīm, kas tur izlietas, kā vien ar tā asinīm, kas tās izlējis! 34 Neapgāniet zemi, kur jūs mītat un kurā es mītu, jo es esmu Kungs, kas mīt pie Israēla dēliem.”
