Numbers 35:31

Numbers 35:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.
• New International Version (NIV)“ ‘Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.

Context of Numbers 35:31

29This will be a statutory ordinance for you for the generations to come, wherever you live. 30If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness. You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death. 32Nor should you accept a ransom for the person who flees to a city of refuge and allow him to return and live on his own land before the death of the high priest. 33Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.

Numbers 35:31 word by word

וְלֹֽא־תִקְח֥וּ כֹ֙פֶר֙ לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ רֹצֵ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא רָשָׁ֖ע לָמ֑וּת כִּי־מ֖וֹת יוּמָֽת׃Read the interlinear

• You are notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• to acceptלָקַחlâqach · to take: recieveH3947
• a ransomכֹּפֶרkôpher · ransomH3724
• for the lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• of a murdererרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• whoהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• deservesרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• to dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• to dieכִּיkîy · forH3588

Cross-references for Numbers 35:31

• Genesis 9:5And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
• Exodus 21:14But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.
• Deuteronomy 19:11If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,
• 2 Samuel 12:13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.
• 1 Kings 2:28When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
• Psalms 51:14Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.

Commentaries on Numbers 35:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer - No atonement could be made for him, nor any commutation, so as to save him from death. All the laws of the civilized world have either adjudged the murderer to death, or to a punishment equivalent to it; such as perpetual imprisonment, in a dungeon, under ground, on a stone floor, without light, and to be fed on a small portion of bread and water. In such circumstances a man could live but a short…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31No satisfaction - Rather, ransom (see Exodus 21:30). The permission to demand pecuniary compensation for murders (expressly sanctioned by the Koran) undoubtedly mitigates, in practice, the system of private retaliation; but it does so by sacrificing the principle named in Numbers 35:12, Numbers 35:33.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-34Verses 9-34 To show plainly the abhorrence of murder, and to provide the more effectually for the punishment of the murderer, the nearest relation of the deceased, under the title of avenger of blood, (or the redeemer of blood,) in notorious cases, might pursue, and execute vengeance. A distinction is made, not between sudden anger and malice aforethought, both which are the crime of murder; but between intentionally striking a man with any weapon likely…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-32The law did not allow the payment of a ransom (money paid as compensation) to free a convicted murderer from execution. The death penalty was required for murder (compare 2 Samuel 21:2–9). Similarly, a person who caused an accidental death could not pay money to avoid staying in a city of refuge. That person had to remain there until the proper time.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3429-34. these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations--The law of the blood-avenger, as thus established by divine authority, was a vast improvement on the ancient practice of Goelism. By the appointment of cities of refuge, the manslayer was saved, in the meantime, from the blind and impetuous fury of vindictive relatives; but he might be tried by the local court, and, if proved guilty on sufficient evidence…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 35:31

• Homicide
• Punishment
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• Blood
• City
• Congregation
• Murder
• Redemption
• Refuge, Cities of
• Testify
• Amorites
• Assassination
• Courts, Judicial

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