Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 35:6
6“The cities you give the Levites will include six cities of refuge, which you will provide so that the one who kills someone may flee there; in addition to these, give forty-two other cities.
Numbers 35:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.
- New International Version (NIV)“Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Now among the cities which you will give to the Levites you shall appoint six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. And to these you shall add forty-two cities.
Context of Numbers 35:6
4The pasturelands of the cities you are to give the Levites will extend from the city wall five hundred yards on every side. 5Measure a thousand yards outside the city for the east side, a thousand yards for the south side, a thousand yards for the west side, and a thousand yards for the north side, with the city in the center. This will belong to them as pasturelands for the cities. “The cities you give the Levites will include six cities of refuge, which you will provide so that the one who kills someone may flee there; in addition to these, give forty-two other cities. 7The total number of cities you give the Levites will be forty-eight, along with their pasturelands. 8Of the cities that you give from the Israelites’ territory, you should take more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one. Each tribe is to give some of its cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance it receives.”
Read all of Numbers 35Numbers 35:6 word by word
וְאֵ֣ת הֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּתְּנוּ֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֵ֚ת שֵׁשׁ־עָרֵ֣י הַמִּקְלָ֔ט אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתְּנ֔וּ לָנֻ֥ס שָׁ֖מָּה הָרֹצֵ֑חַ וַעֲלֵיהֶ֣ם תִּתְּנ֔וּ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם עִֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And among the citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- which ye shall giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- unto the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- sixשֵׁשׁshêsh shishshâh · sixH8337
- for refugeמִקְלָטmiqlâţ · refugeH4733
- which ye shall appointנָתַןnâthan · to give: allowH5414
- for the manslayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
- that he may fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
- fortyאַרְבָּעִים'arbâ‛îym · fortyH705
- and twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
Cross-references for Numbers 35:6
- Numbers 35:13The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge.
- Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses set apart three cities across the Jordan to the east.
- Joshua 20:2“Tell the Israelites: Select your cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,
- Joshua 21:3So the Israelites, by the Lord’s command, gave the Levites these cities with their pasturelands from their inheritance.
- Psalms 9:9The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted, a refuge in times of trouble.
- Psalms 62:7My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God.
- Psalms 142:4Look to the right and see: no one stands up for me; there is no refuge for me; no one cares about me.
- Isaiah 4:6and there will be a shelter for shade from heat by day and a refuge and shelter from storm and rain.
- Matthew 11:28“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
- Hebrews 6:18so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.
Commentaries on Numbers 35:6
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The Levitical cities were in an special manner the Lord‘s; and therefore the places of refuge, where the manslayer might remain under the protection of a special institution devised by divine mercy, were appropriately selected from among them. No doubt also the Priests and Levites would be the fittest persons to administer the law in the doubtful cases which would be sure to occur: compare Numbers 35:24 note.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. 6-86. there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer--The establishment of those privileged sanctuaries among the cities of the Levites is probably traceable to the idea, that they would be the most suitable and impartial judges--that their presence and counsels might calm or restrain the stormy passions of the blood avenger--and that, from their being invested with the sacred character, they might be types of Christ, in whom…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 35:6
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
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