Numbers 35:28

Numbers 35:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
• New International Version (NIV)The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.
• New King James Version (NKJV)because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

Context of Numbers 35:28

26But one day, the killer might go outside the border of the safe city that he ran to. 27If he does that, the dead person's relative might find him outside the safe city. Then, if the dead person's relative kills him, the relative will not be guilty of murder. That is because the killer should have stayed in his safe city until the death of the leader of the priests. But after the leader of the priests dies, the killer may return to his own home. 29Wherever you and your descendants live, these are the rules that you must obey for all future time. 30Before you kill a murderer, people must agree that they saw him kill someone. But if only one person saw what happened, that is not enough for you to kill him.

Numbers 35:28 word by word

כִּ֣י בְעִ֤יר מִקְלָטוֹ֙ יֵשֵׁ֔ב עַד־מ֖וֹת הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֑ל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י מוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֔ל יָשׁוּב֙ הָרֹצֵ֔חַ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Because he should have remainedיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• of his refugeמִקְלָטmiqlâţ · refugeH4733
• until the deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• of the highגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• but afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• the slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• shall returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• into the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of his possessionאֲחֻזָּה'ăchûzzâh · possessionH272

Cross-references for Numbers 35:28

• John 15:4Continue to live in me, and I will continue to live in you. A branch cannot make fruit by itself. It can make fruit only if it continues to be part of the vine. You are like that. You cannot make fruit unless you continue to live in me.
• Acts 11:23Barnabas arrived in Antioch. He saw how God had been kind to the people there and helped them. Barnabas was happy about this. So he said to the new believers, ‘Continue to trust the Lord Jesus completely.’
• Acts 27:31Paul said to the army officer and to the soldiers, ‘These sailors must stay on the ship. If they do not stay, you will not be safe. You will die.’
• Hebrews 3:14We must continue to trust Christ very well, as we did when we first believed in him. We must continue to trust him until the end of our lives. Then we will share in everything that is his.
• Hebrews 6:4That is important, because we must not turn away from Christ, after we have first believed in him. Some people have come into God's light. They have understood God's message. They have started to enjoy the true life that God has given them. They have received the Holy Spirit, like other believers.
• Hebrews 10:26Now that we have learned what is true, we must continue to believe in Jesus. If we know God's true message, but we still choose to do wrong things, God will not forgive us. There is no other sacrifice that will take away our sins.
• Hebrews 9:11But now Christ has come as our special priest. He brings us the good things that are now here. He has gone into God's own place in heaven. That is a greater and much better tent than the old tabernacle. No person made this tent. It does not belong to this world at all.

Commentaries on Numbers 35:28

• 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. 26-29The killer (manslayer) had to stay in a special city (called a "city of refuge") as a consequence for the death he had caused. He had to stay in a city of refuge until he or the high priest died. After the high priest's death, the manslayer could return home, and the avenger of blood could not take revenge.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2822-28. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, &c.--Under the excitement of a sudden provocation, or violent passion, an injury might be inflicted issuing in death; and for a person who had thus undesignedly committed slaughter, the Levitical cities offered the benefit of full protection. Once having reached the nearest, for one or other of them was within a day's journey of all parts of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 35:28

• Avenger of Blood
• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• High priest
• City
• Congregation
• Murder
• Refuge, Cities of
• Testify
• Amorites
• Assassination
• Courts, Judicial
• Ezekiel

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