6 Now these are the cities you will give to the Levites: the six cities of asylum which you must establish for the homicide to run to, and in addition forty-two other cities—
7 a total of forty-eight cities with their pasture lands which you will assign to the Levites.
8 In assigning the cities from what the Israelites possess, take more from a larger group and fewer from a smaller one, so that each will cede cities to the Levites in proportion to the heritage which it receives.
9 The Lord spoke to Moses:
10 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you go across the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11 select for yourselves cities to serve as cities of asylum, where a homicide who has killed someone inadvertently may flee.
12 These cities will serve you as places of asylum from the avenger of blood, so that a homicide will not be put to death until tried before the community.