These were the cities of refuge ¹  appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by ²  the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly. ³ 

Run there quickly, ¹  for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.) ² 

When Pharaoh heard ¹  about this event, ²  he sought to kill Moses. So Moses fled ³  from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, ⁴  and he settled ⁵  by a certain well. ⁶ 

But if he does not do it with premeditation, ¹  but it happens by accident, ²  then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

Anyone who accidentally killed someone ¹  without hating him at the time of the accident ²  could flee to one of those cities and be safe.

you must set apart for yourselves three cities ¹  in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession.

Now this is the law pertaining to one who flees there in order to live, ¹  if he has accidentally killed another ²  without hating him at the time of the accident. ³ 

However, suppose a person hates someone else ¹  and stalks him, attacks him, kills him, ²  and then flees to one of these cities.

The elders of his own city must send for him and remove him from there to deliver him over to the blood avenger ¹  to die.

So they selected ¹  Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.

Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho ¹  they selected ²  Bezer in the desert on the plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh.

Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod. ¹ 

David promised Saul this on oath. ¹  Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam escaped to Egypt and found refuge with King Shishak of Egypt. ¹  He stayed in Egypt until Solomon died.

By David. The Lord delivers and vindicates me! ²  I fear no one! ³  The Lord protects my life! I am afraid of no one! ⁴ 

How blessed ¹  is the one ²  who trusts in the Lord ³  and does not seek help from ⁴  the proud or from liars! ⁵ 

A prayer of Moses, the man of God. O Lord, you have been our protector ²  through all generations!

unless they became my subjects ¹  and made peace with me; let them make peace with me. ² 

For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself. ¹ 

Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, ¹  so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest. In this way ²  you guided your people, gaining for yourself an honored reputation. ³