וְהִקְרִיתֶ֤ם לָכֶם֙ עָרִ֔ים עָרֵ֥י מִקְלָ֖ט תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה לָכֶ֑ם וְנָ֥ס שָׁ֙מָּה֙ רֹצֵ֔חַ מַכֵּה־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָֽה׃
maka kamu harus menetapkan bagimu kota-kota yang akan menjadi kota perlindungan bagimu, supaya orang yang membunuh, yaitu yang menewaskan seseorang tanpa sengaja, dapat melarikan diri ke sana.
Rashi
והקריתם — This verb קרה (in the Hiphil) denotes “preparing”. Similarly it says, (Genesis 27:20) “Because the Lord thy God made it ready (הקרה) before me”(Sifrei Bamidbar 159:4).
Avi Ezer
According to Rashi, the phrase "vehikritem" (and you shall proclaim) is not meant as a command but as an expression of invitation. The author of the work "Be'er Rechovot" did not adhere to this meticulous interpretation, and there he directed his attention toward the homiletical interpretation. However, the strict interpretation does not exclude the meaning of "proclaim," derived from the term "kriah" (calling out), as well as from the term "kir" (wall). The homiletical interpretation is permissible, but it is not the only valid interpretation.