Numbers 35:2

Numbers 35:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
• New International Version (NIV)“Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities.

Context of Numbers 35:2

1The Lord spoke to Moses in Moab, beside the Jordan River. Jericho was on the other side of the river. The Lord said, ‘Tell the people this. They must give some of their land to the Levites. Then the Levites can build towns to live in. They will also have the land round the towns for their animals. 3The Levites must have towns to live in and land for their cows and all their animals. 4The fields that you give to them for their animals must reach 500 metres from the walls of each town.

Numbers 35:2 word by word

צַו֮ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְנָתְנ֣וּ לַלְוִיִּ֗ם מִֽנַּחֲלַ֛ת אֲחֻזָּתָ֖ם עָרִ֣ים לָשָׁ֑בֶת וּמִגְרָ֗שׁ לֶֽעָרִים֙ סְבִיבֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם תִּתְּנ֖וּ לַלְוִיִּֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• that they giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• unto the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• of the inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
• of their possessionאֲחֻזָּה'ăchûzzâh · possessionH272
• citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• to dwell inיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• suburbsמִגְרָשׁmigrâsh migrâshâh · pastureH4054
• round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439

Cross-references for Numbers 35:2

• Leviticus 25:32The Levites (people from the family of Levi) can buy back the houses in their towns.
• Joshua 14:3Moses had already given land east of the Jordan River to the other 2½ tribes. But he had not given any land to the Levites.
• Joshua 21:2They met at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. The Levites said, ‘The Lord told Moses that you must give us towns to live in, as well as land for our animals.’
• Ezekiel 45:1‘You must divide the land into different parts to belong to each tribe. When you do this, you must give one part to the Lord. It will belong to the Lord as a holy piece of land. It will be 12½ kilometres long and 10 kilometres wide. All of this land will be holy.
• Ezekiel 48:8South of Judah's land will be a special part of the land, with the temple in the middle of it. From east to west, it will be the same size as the parts of the land for Israel's tribes. From north to south, it will be 12½ kilometres.
• 1 Corinthians 9:10No, God wanted to help us too. That is why he gave this rule to Moses for his people. Any farmer who works hard to grow food should get some of the food for himself. He ploughs his fields and he prepares the seeds because he hopes to eat some of the food.

Commentaries on Numbers 35:2

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Suburbs - Rather, “pasture-grounds,” required for their large cattle, for their sheep and goats, and for all their beasts whatever they might be Numbers 35:3.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. 1-52. give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in--As the Levites were to have no territorial domain allocated to them like the other tribes on the conquest of Canaan, they were to be distributed throughout the land in certain cities appropriated to their use; and these cities were to be surrounded by extensive suburbs. There is an apparent discrepancy between Nu 35:4 and Nu 35:5, with regard to the extent of these…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 35:2

• Canaan
• Levites
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• City
• Congregation
• Levite
• Refuge, Cities of
• Testify
• Amorites

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