Numbers 35:1-8

Expanded Bible

The Levites’ Towns

35 The Lord spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab across from Jericho by the Jordan River. He said, ² “Command the ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel] to give the Levites cities to live in from the ·land [^Lpossession] they ·receive [^Linherit]. Also give the Levites the pastureland around these cities. ³ Then the Levites will have cities where they may live and pastureland for their cattle, flocks, and other animals. ⁴ The pastureland you give the Levites will extend ·fifteen hundred feet [^La thousand cubits] from the city wall. ⁵ Also measure ·three thousand feet [^Ltwo thousand cubits] in each direction outside the city wall—·three thousand feet [^Ltwo thousand cubits] east of the city, ·three thousand feet [^Ltwo thousand cubits] south of the city, ·three thousand feet [^Ltwo thousand cubits] west of the city, and ·three thousand feet [^Ltwo thousand cubits] north of the city, with the city in the center. This will be pastureland for the Levites’ cities.

Cities of Safety

⁶ “Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of ·safety [refuge]. A person who accidentally kills someone may run to one of those cities for ·safety [refuge]. You must also give forty-two other cities to the Levites; ⁷ give the Levites a total of forty-eight cities and their pastures. ⁸ The larger tribes of ·Israel [^Lthe sons/^Tchildren 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.”