1上主在耶里哥對面，約但河邊，摩阿布曠野內，訓示梅瑟說： 1And the Lord spoke these things also to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, over against Jericho:
2「你命令以色列子民，應由他們分得的產業內，指定一些城給肋未人居住，將城四周的牧場，也分給肋未人。 2Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites out of their possessions,
3這些城歸他們居住，城郊的牧場為牧放他們所有的牛羊和一切牲畜。 3Cities to dwell in, and their suburbs round about: that they may abide in the towns, and the suburbs may be for their cattle and beasts:
4你們劃給肋未城郊的牧場，應由城牆起，周圍向外伸展至二千肘， 4Which suburbs shall reach from the walls of the cities outward, a thousand paces on every side:
5即由城外向東方量二千肘，向南方量二千肘，向西方量二千肘，向北方量二千肘，城在中央；這些土地為作他們城郊的牧場。 5Toward the east shall be two thousand cubits: and toward the south in like manner shall be two thousand cubits: toward the sea also, which looketh to the west, shall be the same extent: and the north side shall be bounded with the like limits. And the cities shall be in the midst, and the suburbs without.
6分給肋未人的城中，應指定六座為避難城，殺人者可逃入城中。此外還應給他們四十二座城。 6And among the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, six shall be separated for refuge to fugitives, that he who hath shed blood may flee to them: and besides these there shall be other forty-two cities,
7這樣，劃給肋未人的城，共計四十八座，連城郊的牧場在內。 7That is, in all forty-eight with their suburbs.
8當你們由以色列子民的產業中，劃分給肋未人城邑時，由大支派應多取，由小支派應少取；每支派應依照自己分得的產業，將城邑劃給肋未人。」 8And of these cities which shall be given out of the possessions of the children of Israel, from them that have more, more shall be taken: and from them that have less, fewer. Each shall give towns to the Levites according to the extent of their inheritance.
9上主訓示梅瑟說： 9The Lord said to Moses:
10「你告訴以色列子民說：幾時你們過約但河進入了客納罕地， 10Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: When you shall have passed over the Jordan into the land of Chanaan,
11應選定幾座城作你們的避難城，凡誤殺人的，可逃到那裡。 11Determine what cities shall be for the refuge of fugitives, who have shed blood against their will.
12這些城可作為你們脫免復仇者的避難所，好使殺人者不致在未立於會眾前受審判以前，便遭人殺害。 12And when the fugitive shall be in them, the kinsman of him that is slain may not have power to kill him, until he stand before the multitude, and his cause be judged.
13你們應指定六座城作為你們的避難城。 13And of those cities, that are separated for the refuge of fugitives,
14在約但河東指定三座，在客納罕地指定三座，作為避難城。 14Three shall be beyond the Jordan, and three in the land of Chanaan,
15這六座城為以色列子民和外方人，以及住在你們中間的人，作為避難所；凡誤殺人的，都可逃到那裡去。 15As well for the children of Israel as for strangers and sojourners, that he may flee to them, who hath shed blood against his will.
16人若用鐵器打人，將人打死，他就是兇手，兇手應處死刑。 16If any man strike with iron, and he die that was struck: he shall be guilty of murder, and he himself shall die.
17人若用手中可砸死人的石頭打人，將人砸死；他就是兇手，兇手應處死刑。 17If he throw a stone, and he that is struck die: he shall be punished in the same manner.
18或者人若用手中可打死人的木器打人，將人打死，他就是兇手，兇手應處死刑。 18If he that is struck with wood die: he shall be revenged by the blood of him that struck him.
19報血仇的，可將兇手殺死；幾時遇見他，可將他殺死。 19The kinsman of him that was slain, shall kill the murderer: as soon as he apprehendeth him, he shall kill him.
20人若因懷恨撞倒了人，或故意拋物打人，致使那人死了； 20If through hatred any one push a man, or fling any thing at him with ill design:
21或者因仇恨用手打人，將人打死；打人的應處死刑，因他是兇手；報血仇的人，幾時遇著兇手，可將他殺死。 21Or being his enemy, strike; him with his hand, and he die: the striker shall be guilty of murder: the kinsman of him that was slain as soon as he findeth him, shall kill him.
22但是，若人並無怨仇，偶然撞倒人，或無意中拋物傷人， 22But if by chance medley, and without hatred,
23或因沒有看見，使任何能打死人的石頭落在人身上，致使那人死了，彼此並沒有怨仇，也沒有意思害人， 23And enmity, he do any of these things,
24對這樣的案件，應在打死人的和要報血仇者之間進行裁判。 24And this be proved in the hearing of the people, and the cause be debated between him that struck, and the next of kin:
25會眾要把殺人者由報血仇者手內救出，使他回到他曾逃入的避難城內，叫他住在那裡，直到傅過聖油的大司祭去世。 25The innocent shall be delivered from the hand of the revenger, and shall be brought back by sentence into the city, to which he had fled, and he shall abide there until the death of the high priest, that is anointed with the holy oil.
26但殺人者如果離開他逃入避難城的邊界以外， 26If the murderer be found without the limits of the cities that are appointed for the banished,
27報血仇者若在避難城邊界以外遇見了他，將殺人者殺死，他並不犯流血的罪， 27And be struck by him that is the avenger of blood: he shall not be guilty that killed him.
28因為那人該留在避難城內，直到大司祭去世；大司祭死後，殺人者方可回到屬自己產業的地方： 28For the fugitive ought to have stayed in the city until the death of the high priest: and after he is dead, then shall the manslayer return to his own country.
29這是你們世世代代，在你們任何住處，應遵守的法令。 29These things shall be perpetual, and for an ordinance in all your dwellings.
30凡殺人的案件，應依據幾個證人的口供，纔可處決殺人犯；惟獨一人作證，不足以將人宣判死刑。 30The murderer shall be punished by witnesses: none shall be condemned upon the evidence of one man.
31對於被判死刑的殺人犯，你們不可取贖命金，因為他應該死。 31You shall not take money of him that is guilty of blood, but he shall die forthwith.
32同樣，你們對逃入避難城的人，亦不可取贖金，准他在大司祭死以前回到本鄉居住。 32The banished and fugitives before the death of the high priest may by no means return into their own cities.
33你們不可玷污你們所居之地，因為血能玷污地；在那裡流了血，除非流那殺人者的血，為那地沒有其他取潔的方法。 33Defile not the land of your habitation, which is stained with the blood of the innocent: neither can it otherwise be expiated, but by his blood that hath shed the blood of another.
34你們不可褻瀆你們所居之地，這地也是我居留之地，因為我上主是住在以色列子民中間。」 34And thus shall your possession he cleansed, myself abiding with you. For I am the Lord that dwell among the children of Israel.
35:1-5
肋未人分住於各支派中，主要宗旨是教导普通民众上主的法律。见申33:8-11。肋未城不能算肋未支派的产业，只是让给他们居住而已。至於如何划分了肋未城，参阅苏21。
35:6-15
复仇在原始社会中很为普遍，有时不得不加以限制，以色列自然也不例外。复仇者通常是被杀者的最近亲人，见创4:15; 9:6；申19:12；撒下14:11。按「复仇者」，原文有赎回者和保护亲族者的意思。他应尽力保护自己家族，保护自己家族的产业。见肋25:23-25；卢4:3-8。因此，天主亦称为以色列的保护者，或救赎者见依41:14；耶50:34；咏19:15等处。
35:31
31节的法律依据创9:6；此法律直到近代，仍流行於阿刺伯的一些部落中。这法律与古代容许接受赎命金的法律大有区别；并且按民族和法律学家的意见，这种法律，在原始的社会中，为保存人命更为有效。
35:32-34
参阅则48:35；依1:26-27等处。