Numbers 35

(Joshua 21:1–45; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81)

1Again the LORDH3068 spokeH1696 toH413 MosesH4872 on the plainsH6160 of MoabH4124 byH5921 the JordanH3383 across from JerichoH3405H559: 2“CommandH6680 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 to giveH5414, from the inheritanceH5159 they will possessH272, citiesH5892 for the LevitesH3881 to live inH3427 and pasturelandsH4054 aroundH5439H5414H3881 the citiesH5892. 3The citiesH5892 will beH1961 for them to live inH3427, and the pasturelandsH4054 will beH1961 for their herdsH929, their flocksH7399, and allH3605 their other livestockH2416.

4The pasturelandsH4054 around the citiesH5892 you are to giveH5414 the LevitesH3881 will extend a thousandH505 cubitsH5201 from the wallH7023 on every sideH5439. 5You are also to measureH4058 two thousandH505 cubitsH5202 outsideH2351 the cityH5892 on the eastH6924, two thousandH505 on the southH5045, two thousandH505 on the westH3220, and two thousandH505 on the northH6828, with the cityH5892 in the centerH8432. These areasH2088 will serveH1961 as larger pasturelandsH4054 for the citiesH5892.

6

SixH8337 of the citiesH5892 you giveH5414 the LevitesH3881 are to be appointedH5414 as citiesH5892 of refugeH4733, to which a manslayerH7523 may fleeH5127. In addition to theseH5921, giveH5414 the Levites forty-twoH705H8147 other citiesH5892. 7The totalH3605 number of citiesH5892 you giveH5414 the LevitesH3881 will be forty-eightH705H8083H5892, with their correspondingH853 pasturelandsH4054. 8The citiesH5892 thatH834 you apportionH5414H854 from the territoryH272 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478 should be givenH5414 to the LevitesH3881 in proportion toH6310 the inheritanceH5159 of eachH376H854 tribe: more fromH7235 a largerH7227 tribe and less fromH4591 a smaller oneH4592.”

Six Cities of Refuge

(Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Deuteronomy 19:1–14; Joshua 20:1–9)

9Then the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H559, 10“SpeakH1696 toH413 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 and tell themH559H413: WhenH3588 youH859 crossH5674 the JordanH3383 into the landH776 of CanaanH3667, 11designateH7136 citiesH5892 to serve asH1961 your citiesH5892 of refugeH4733, so that a personH7523 who killsH5221 someoneH5315 unintentionallyH7684 may fleeH5127 thereH8033. 12You are to haveH1961 these citiesH5892 as a refugeH4733 from the avengerH1350, so that the manslayerH7523 will notH3808 dieH4191 untilH5704 he standsH5975 trialH4941 beforeH6440 the assemblyH5712.

13The citiesH5892 you selectH5414 will beH1961 your sixH8337 citiesH5892 of refugeH4733. 14Select threeH7969 citiesH5892H5414 acrossH5676 the JordanH3383 and threeH7969 in the landH776 of CanaanH3667 asH1961 citiesH5892 of refugeH4733. 15TheseH428 sixH8337 citiesH5892 will serveH1961 as a refugeH4733 for the IsraelitesH1121H3478 and for the foreignerH1616 or strangerH8453 among themH8432, so that anyoneH3605 who killsH5221 a personH5315 unintentionallyH7684 may fleeH5127 thereH8033.

16If, howeverH518, anyone strikesH5221 a person with an ironH1270 objectH3627 and kills himH4191, heH1931 is a murdererH7523; the murdererH7523 must surely be put to deathH4191. 17Or ifH518 anyone has in his handH3027 a stoneH68 of deadly sizeH4191, and he strikesH5221 and kills anotherH4191, he is a murdererH7523; the murdererH7523 must surely be put to deathH4191. 18IfH176 anyone has in his handH3027 a deadlyH4191 objectH3627 of woodH6086, and he strikesH5221 and kills anotherH4191, he is a murdererH7523; the murdererH7523H1931 must surely be put to deathH4191.

19The avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 is to put the murdererH7523 to deathH4191; when he findsH6293 him, heH1931 is to kill himH4191.

20Likewise, ifH518 anyone maliciouslyH8135 pushes anotherH1920 orH176 intentionallyH6660 throws an objectH7993 at himH5921 and kills himH4191, 21orH176 if in hostilityH342 he strikes himH5221 with his handH3027 and he diesH4191, the one who struck himH5221 must surely be put to deathH4191; heH1931 is a murdererH7523. When the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 findsH6293 the murdererH7523, he is to killH4191 himH853.

22But if anyoneH518 pushes a personH1920 suddenlyH6621, withoutH3808 hostilityH342, orH176 throwsH7993 anH3605 objectH3627 at himH5921 unintentionallyH3808H6660, 23orH176H3605 withoutH3808 lookingH7200 dropsH5307H5921 a heavy stoneH68 that kills himH4191, but heH1931 was notH3808 an enemyH341 and did notH3808 intendH1245 to harm himH7451, 24then the congregationH5712 must judgeH8199 betweenH996 the slayerH5221H996 and the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 according toH5921 theseH428 ordinancesH4941. 25The assemblyH5712 is to protectH5337 the manslayerH7523 from the handH3027 of the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818. Then the assemblyH5712 will returnH7725 himH853 toH413 the cityH5892 of refugeH4733 to whichH834 he fledH5127H8033, and he must liveH3427 there untilH5704 the deathH4194 of the highH1419 priestH3548, whoH834 was anointedH4886 with the holyH6944 oilH8081.

26But ifH518 the manslayerH7523 ever goes outsideH3318 the limitsH1366 of the cityH5892 of refugeH4733 to which he fledH5127H8033 27and the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 findsH4672 himH853 outsideH2351H1366 of his cityH5892 of refugeH4733 and kills himH7523, then the avengerH1350 will notH369 be guilty of bloodshedH1818, 28becauseH3588 the manslayer must remainH3427 in his cityH5892 of refugeH4733 untilH5704 the deathH4194 of the highH1419 priestH3548. Only afterH310 the deathH4194 of the highH1419 priestH3548 mayH7523 he returnH7725 toH413 the landH776 he ownsH272. 29ThisH428 will beH1961 a statutoryH2708 ordinanceH4941 for you for the generations to comeH1755, whereverH3605 you liveH4186.

30If anyoneH3605 killsH5221 a personH5315, the murdererH7523 is to be put to deathH7523 on the testimonyH6310 of the witnessesH5707. But noH3808 oneH5315 is to be put to deathH4191 based on the testimonyH6030 of a loneH259 witnessH5707.

31You are notH3808 to acceptH3947 a ransomH3724 for the lifeH5315 of a murdererH7523 whoH834H1931 deservesH7563 to dieH4191H3588; he must surely be put to deathH4191. 32NorH3808 should you acceptH3947 a ransomH3724 for the person who fleesH5127 toH413 a cityH5892 of refugeH4733 and allow him to returnH7725 and liveH3427 on his own landH776 beforeH5704 the deathH4194 of the high priestH3548.

33Do notH3808 polluteH2610 the landH776 whereH834 youH859 live, forH3588 bloodshedH1818H1931 pollutesH2610 the landH776, and noH3808 atonement can be madeH3722 for the landH776 on which the bloodH1818 is shedH8210, exceptH3588H518 by the bloodH1818 of the one who shed itH8210. 34Do notH3808 defileH2930 the landH776 whereH834 youH859 liveH3427 and whereH834 IH589 dwellH7931. ForH3588 IH589, the LORDH3068, dwellH7931 amongH8432 the IsraelitesH1121H3478.”