ערי מקלט בתורה

(1) And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at 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 open land round about the cities shall ye give unto the Levites. (6) And the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which ye shall give for the manslayer to flee thither; and beside them ye shall give forty and two cities.

(9) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (10) ’Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, (11) then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person through error may flee thither. (12) And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment. (13) And as to the cities which ye shall give, there shall be for you six cities of refuge. (14) Ye shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. (15) For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the settler among them, shall these six cities be for refuge, that every one that killeth any person through error may flee thither. (16) But if he smote him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. (17) And if he smote him with a stone in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. (18) Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. (19) The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death. (20) And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him any thing, lying in wait, so that he died; (21) or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death: he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meeteth him. (22) But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him any thing without lying in wait, (23) or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; (24) then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; (25) and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled; and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. (26) But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth; (27) and the avenger of blood find him without the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slay the manslayer; there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him; (28) because he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return into the land of his possession. (29) And these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

(33) So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood, it polluteth the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. (34) And thou shalt not defile the land which ye inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the children of Israel.’

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(1) When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou dost succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses; (2) thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee to possess it. (3) Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which the LORD thy God causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither. (4) And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in time past; (5) as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live; (6) lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not deserving of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. (7) Wherefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.’ (8) And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which He promised to give unto thy fathers— (9) if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in His ways—then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three; (10) that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee. (11) But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die; and he flee into one of these cities; (12) then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. (13) Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with thee.