6 "Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities to go to for safety. A person who has killed someone can run to one of them. Also give the Levites 42 other towns.
7 You must give the Levites a total of 48 towns. Also give them the grasslands that are around the towns.
8 "The towns you give the Levites must come from the land the people of Israel have as their own. So the number you give from each tribe will depend on the size of that tribe's share. Take many towns from a tribe that has many. But take only a few towns from a tribe that has only a few."
9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
10 "Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, 'You will soon go across the Jordan River. You will enter Canaan.
11 When you do, choose the cities to go to for safety. People who have killed someone by accident can run to one of those cities.
12 They will be places of safety for them. People will be safe there from those who want to kill them. Then those who are charged with murder will not die before their case has been brought to the community court.