Amplified Bible
Numbers 35:8
8As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many and from the smaller tribes few; each tribe shall give [at least some] of its cities to the Levites in proportion to [the size of] its inheritance which it possesses.”
Numbers 35:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.
- New International Version (NIV)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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And as for the cities that you shall give from the possession of the people of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.”
Context of Numbers 35:8
6[Among] the cities which you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall provide for the one who commits manslaughter to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities [to the Levites]. 7So you shall give to the Levites forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasture lands. As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many and from the smaller tribes few; each tribe shall give [at least some] of its cities to the Levites in proportion to [the size of] its inheritance which it possesses.” 9Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10“Tell the Israelites, ‘When you cross the Jordan [River] into the land of Canaan,
Read all of Numbers 35Numbers 35:8 word by word
וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּתְּנוּ֙ מֵאֲחֻזַּ֣ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאֵ֤ת הָרַב֙ תַּרְבּ֔וּ וּמֵאֵ֥ת הַמְעַ֖ט תַּמְעִ֑יטוּ אִ֗ישׁ כְּפִ֤י נַחֲלָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִנְחָ֔לוּ יִתֵּ֥ן מֵעָרָ֖יו לַלְוִיִּֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- which ye shall giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- of the possessionאֲחֻזָּה'ăchûzzâh · possessionH272
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- ye shall give manyרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- ye shall give fewמָעַטmâ‛aţ · to diminishH4591
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- unto the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- accordingפֶּהpeh · lip: accordingH6310
- to his inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- which he inheritethנָחַלnâchal · to inheritH5157
Cross-references for Numbers 35:8
- Genesis 49:7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; And their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide and disperse them in Jacob, And scatter them in [the midst of the land of] Israel.
- Exodus 32:28So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people [of Israel] were killed that day.
- Deuteronomy 33:8Of Levi he said, “Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man [Aaron], Whom You tested and proved at Massah, With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
- Joshua 21:3So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these [forty-eight] cities and their pasture lands, in accordance with the command of the Lord.
- Numbers 26:54To the larger tribe you shall give the larger inheritance, and to the smaller tribe the smaller inheritance; each tribe shall be given its inheritance according to its numbers.
- Numbers 33:54You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be [the location of] his [inheritance]. According to the tribes of your fathers (ancestors) you shall inherit.
- Exodus 16:18When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered a large amount had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered according to his need (family size).
- 2 Corinthians 8:13For it is not [intended] that others be relieved [of their responsibility] and that you be burdened [unfairly], but that there be equality [in sharing the burden]—
Commentaries on Numbers 35:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Nine cities were eventually given to the Levites from the large joint inheritance of Judah and Simeon; three were taken from the territory of Naphtali, and the other tribes gave each four apiece.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8The tribe of Levi did not receive its own land. So chapter 35 explains how they received 48 towns spread out among the lands of the other tribes (see Joshua 21; see also Leviticus 25:32–34; 1 Chronicles 13:2; 2 Chronicles 11:14). During the wilderness journey, the Levites lived in the center of the Israelite camp (compare Numbers 2:17). In the promised land, they were to live among the other tribes. Their presence was meant to influence the people for…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel--The burden of furnishing those places for the residence and support of the Levitical order was to fall in equitable proportions upon the different tribes (see Nu 33:54; Jos 20:7).Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 35:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 35
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries