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Numbers 35
New English Translation

The Levitical Cities

35 [a] Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the rift valley plains[b] of Moab along the Jordan near Jericho. He said: 2 “Instruct the Israelites to give[c] the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites[d] will possess. You must also give the Levites grazing land around the towns. 3 Thus they will have towns in which to live, and their grazing lands will be for their cattle, for their possessions, and for all their animals. 4 The grazing lands around the towns that you will give to the Levites must extend to a distance of 500 yards[e] from the town wall.

5 “You must measure[f] from outside the wall of the town on the east 1,000 yards,[g] and on the south side 1,000 yards, and on the west side 1,000 yards, and on the north side 1,000 yards, with the town in the middle.[h] This territory must belong to them as grazing land for the towns. 6 Now from these towns that you will give to the Levites you must select six towns of refuge to which a person who has killed someone may flee.[i] And you must give them forty-two other towns.

7 “So the total of the towns you will give the Levites is forty-eight. You must give these together with their grazing lands. 8 The towns you will give must be from the possession of the Israelites. From the larger tribes you must give more; and from the smaller tribes fewer. Each must contribute some of its own towns to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance allocated to each.

The Cities of Refuge

9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan River[j] into the land of Canaan, 11 you must then designate some towns as towns of refuge for you, to which a person who has killed someone unintentionally may flee. 12 And they must stand as your towns of refuge from the avenger in order that the killer may not die until he has stood trial before the community. 13 These towns that you must give shall be your six towns for refuge.

14 “‘You must give three towns on this side of the Jordan, and you must give three towns in the land of Canaan; they must be towns of refuge. 15 These six towns will be places of refuge for the Israelites, and for the resident foreigner, and for the settler among them, so that anyone who kills any person accidentally may flee there.

16 “‘But if he hits someone with an iron tool so that he dies,[k] he is a murderer. The murderer must surely be put to death. 17 If he strikes him by throwing a stone large enough that he could die, and he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer must surely be put to death. 18 Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon so that he could die, and he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer must surely be put to death. 19 The avenger[l] of blood himself must kill the murderer; when he meets him, he must kill him.

20 “‘But if he strikes him out of hatred or throws something at him intentionally[m] so that he dies, 21 or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him.

22 “But if he strikes him suddenly, without enmity, or throws anything at him unintentionally, 23 or with any stone large enough that a man could die, without seeing him, and throws it at him, and he dies, even though he was not his enemy nor sought his harm, 24 then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions. 25 The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the community must restore him to the town of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there[n] until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the consecrated oil. 26 But if the slayer at any time goes outside the boundary of the town to which he had fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the town of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the slayer, he will not be guilty of blood, 28 because the slayer[o] should have stayed in his town of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the slayer may return to the land of his possessions. 29 So these things must be a statutory ordinance[p] for you throughout your generations, in all the places where you live.

30 “Whoever kills any person, the murderer must be put to death by the testimony[q] of witnesses, but one witness cannot[r] testify against any person to cause him to be put to death. 31 Moreover, you must not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; he must surely be put to death. 32 And you must not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a town of refuge, to allow him to return home and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.[s]

33 “‘You must not pollute the land where you live, for blood defiles the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed there, except by the blood of the person who shed it. 34 Therefore do not defile the land that you will inhabit, in which I live, for I the Lord live among the Israelites.’”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 35:1 sn This section has two main parts, the Levitical cities (vv. 1-8) and the Cities of Refuge (vv. 9-34).
  2. Numbers 35:1 sn This is the area of the rift valley basin to the north of the Dead Sea and east of the Jordan. See the note at Num 21:1.
  3. Numbers 35:2 tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive: “command…and they will give,” or “that they give.”
  4. Numbers 35:2 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  5. Numbers 35:4 tn Heb “1,000 cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about 18 inches (45 cm) in length, so this would be a distance of 1,500 feet or 500 yards (457.2 meters).
  6. Numbers 35:5 tn The verb is the Qal perfect of מָדַד (madad, “to measure”). With its vav (ו) consecutive it carries the same instructional force as the imperfect.
  7. Numbers 35:5 tn Heb “2,000 cubits” (also three more times in this verse). This would be a distance of 3,000 feet or 1,000 yards (914.4 meters).
  8. Numbers 35:5 sn The precise nature of the layout described here is not altogether clear. V. 4 speaks of the distance from the wall as being 500 yards; v. 5, however, describes measurements of 1,000 yards. Various proposals have been made in order to harmonize vv. 4 and 5. P. J. Budd, Numbers (WBC), 376, makes the following suggestion: “It may be best to assume that the cubits of the Levitical pasture lands are cubit frontages of land—in other words on each side of the city there was a block of land with a frontage of 2,000 cubits (v 5), and a depth of 1000 cubits (v 4).”
  9. Numbers 35:6 tn The “manslayer” is the verb “to kill” in a participial form, providing the subject of the clause. The verb means “to kill”; it can mean accidental killing, premeditated killing, or capital punishment. The clause uses the infinitive to express purpose or result: “to flee there the manslayer,” means “so that the manslayer may flee there.”
  10. Numbers 35:10 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  11. Numbers 35:16 tn the verb is the preterite of “die.” The sentence has: “if…he strikes him and he dies.” The vav (ו) consecutive is showing the natural result of the blow.
  12. Numbers 35:19 tn The participle גֹּאֵל (goʾel) is the one who protects the family by seeking vengeance for a crime. This is the same verb used for levirate marriages and other related customs.
  13. Numbers 35:20 tn The Hebrew text is more vivid: “by lying in wait.”
  14. Numbers 35:25 tn Heb “in it.”
  15. Numbers 35:28 tn Heb “he.”
  16. Numbers 35:29 tn Heb “a statute of judgment” (so KJV).
  17. Numbers 35:30 tn Heb “at the mouth of”; the metonymy stresses it is at their report.
  18. Numbers 35:30 tn The verb should be given the nuance of imperfect of potentiality.
  19. Numbers 35:32 tn Heb “the priest.” The Greek and the Syriac have “high priest.” The present translation, along with many English versions, uses “high priest” as a clarification.
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Numbers 35
New International Version

Towns for the Levites

35 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho,(A) the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in(B) from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands(C) around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals.(D)

4 “The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits[a] from the town wall. 5 Outside the town, measure two thousand cubits[b](E) on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west and two thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.(F)

Cities of Refuge(G)

6 “Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee.(H) In addition, give them forty-two other towns. 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. 8 The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.”(I)

9 Then the Lord said to Moses: 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,(J) 11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone(K) accidentally(L) may flee. 12 They will be places of refuge from the avenger,(M) so that anyone accused of murder(N) may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.(O) 13 These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.(P) 14 Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. 15 These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

16 “‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.(Q) 17 Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 18 Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood(R) shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death.(S) 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally(T) so that they die 21 or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death;(U) that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood(V) shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

22 “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally(W) 23 or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, 24 the assembly(X) must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25 The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest,(Y) who was anointed(Z) with the holy oil.(AA)

26 “‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled 27 and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. 28 The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.

29 “‘This is to have the force of law(AB) for you throughout the generations to come,(AC) wherever you live.(AD)

30 “‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.(AE)

31 “‘Do not accept a ransom(AF) for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.

32 “‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

33 “‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land,(AG) and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 Do not defile the land(AH) where you live and where I dwell,(AI) for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 35:4 That is, about 1,500 feet or about 450 meters
  2. Numbers 35:5 That is, about 3,000 feet or about 900 meters
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Numbers 35
International Standard Version

Levitical Cities

35 The Lord told Moses in the wilderness of Moab, beside the Jordan River near[a] Jericho, 2 “Instruct the Israelis to set aside a portion of their inheritance for the descendants of Levi to live in, along with grazing land surrounding their towns. 3 The towns are to be reserved for their dwelling places and the grazing lands[b] are to be reserved for their cattle, livestock, and all their animals. 4 The grazing lands that you are to reserve for use by the descendants of Levi are to extend 1,000 cubits[c] from the walls of the town. 5 You are to measure from outside the wall of the town on the east side 2,000 cubits,[d] on the south side 2,000 cubits,[e] on the west side 2,000 cubits,[f] and on the north side 2,000 cubits,[g] with the town placed at the center. This reserved area is to serve as grazing[h] land for their towns. 6 You are to set aside six towns of refuge from the towns that you will be giving to the descendants of Levi, where someone who kills a human being may run for shelter. In addition, give them 42 other towns. 7 The total number of towns that you are to give to the descendants of Levi is to be 48 towns, including grazing lands surrounding these towns. 8 You are to apportion the towns that you will be giving the Israelis according to the relative size of the tribe. Take a larger portion from those larger in number and a lesser portion from those fewer in number. Each is to set aside towns for the descendants of Levi proportional to the size of their inheritance that they receive.”

Appointment of Cities of Refuge

9 Then the Lord told Moses, 10 “Tell the Israelis that when they have crossed the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, 11 they are to designate some towns of refuge so that anyone who kills someone inadvertently may flee there. 12 They are to serve as cities of refuge from a blood avenger[i] in order to keep the inadvertent killer from dying until he has stood trial in the presence of the community. 13 You are to set aside six towns of refuge. 14 Appoint three towns this side of the Jordan River and three towns in the land of Canaan to serve as the towns of refuge, 15 that is, places[j] of refuge for the Israelis, the resident alien,[k] and any travelers among them. Anyone who kills a person inadvertently may flee there.”

Exceptions to Eligibility

16 “Whoever uses an iron implement to kill someone is to be adjudged[l] a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. 17 Furthermore, whoever uses a stone implement to kill someone is to be adjudged[m] a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. 18 Also, whoever uses a wooden implement to kill someone with it is to be adjudged[n] a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. 19 The blood avenger himself is to execute the murderer. When he meets him, the blood avenger[o] is to put him to death. 20 If the killer[p] shoved his victim[q] out of hatred, or hurled something[r] at him while waiting in ambush so that he died, 21 or if he struck him with his hand out of hatred so that he died, then the killer is certainly to be put to death for murder. The avenger of blood is to put him to death when he meets him.”

Case Examples for Eligibility

22 “But if he pushed him suddenly without hatred, or if he hurled something[s] in his direction without waiting in ambush, 23 or if he hit him[t] with a stone carelessly[u] so that he was fatally injured, though he isn’t his enemy and he wasn’t seeking to commit evil against him, 24 then the community is to judge between the inadvertent killer and the blood avenger, following these ordinances. 25 The community is to release[v] the inadvertent killer from the blood avenger and return him to the town of refuge where he had fled. He is to live there until the High Priest dies, who will have anointed him with holy oil. 26 But if the inadvertent killer leaves the town of refuge where he had fled 27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the town of refuge where he had fled and kills him, the blood avenger is not to be found guilty of murder. 28 The inadvertent killer[w] is to live in the town of refuge until the High Priest dies. After the death of the High Priest, the inadvertent killer is to return to the land of his inheritance. 29 These are to be the statutes and ordinances for you throughout all your generations, regardless of where you live.”[x]

Capital Cases Require Multiple Witnesses

30 “Every murderer of a human being[y] is to be executed only according to testimony[z] given by multiple witnesses. A single witness is not to result in a death sentence.[aa] 31 You are to receive no ransom for the life[ab] of a killer who is guilty of murder; instead, he is to die. 32 You are not to receive payment of a[ac] ransom for someone who had fled to a town of refuge but then left to live in his homeland before the death of the high priest. 33 You are not to pollute the land where you live, because blood defiles the land, and the land cannot atone for blood that has been spilled on it, except through the blood of the one who spilled it. 34 You are not to defile the land where you will be living, because I’m living among you. I am the Lord, who lives in Israel.”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 35:1 Lit. up against
  2. Numbers 35:3 Or suburbs
  3. Numbers 35:4 I.e. about 1,500 feet; the cubit was about eighteen inches
  4. Numbers 35:5 I.e. about 3,000 feet; the cubit was about eighteen inches
  5. Numbers 35:5 I.e. about 3,000 feet; the cubit was about eighteen inches
  6. Numbers 35:5 I.e. about 3,000 feet; the cubit was about eighteen inches
  7. Numbers 35:5 I.e. about 3,000 feet; the cubit was about eighteen inches
  8. Numbers 35:5 Or open land
  9. Numbers 35:12 Or related redeemer
  10. Numbers 35:15 The Heb. lacks places
  11. Numbers 35:15 Lit. the foreigner
  12. Numbers 35:16 The Heb. lacks to be adjudged
  13. Numbers 35:17 The Heb. lacks to be adjudged
  14. Numbers 35:18 The Heb. lacks to be adjudged
  15. Numbers 35:19 Lit. him, he
  16. Numbers 35:20 Lit. If he
  17. Numbers 35:20 Lit. shoved him
  18. Numbers 35:20 The Heb. lacks something
  19. Numbers 35:22 The Heb. lacks something
  20. Numbers 35:23 The Heb. lacks or had he hit him
  21. Numbers 35:23 Lit. stone without seeing it
  22. Numbers 35:25 Lit. deliver
  23. Numbers 35:28 Lit. He
  24. Numbers 35:29 Or in all your dwelling places
  25. Numbers 35:30 Or soul
  26. Numbers 35:30 Lit. by the mouth
  27. Numbers 35:30 Or soul
  28. Numbers 35:31 Or soul
  29. Numbers 35:32 The Heb. lacks payment of a
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