Numbers 35:11

Numbers 35:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
• New International Version (NIV)select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.
• English Standard Version (ESV)then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there.
• New King James Version (NKJV)then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there.

Context of Numbers 35:11

9The Lord said to Moses, 10“Tell the Israelites: When you cross the Jordan River and enter Canaan, select certain cities to be places of refuge. Anyone who unintentionally kills another person may run to them. 12These cities will be places of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death. So anyone accused of murder will not have to die until he has had a trial in front of the community. 13There will be six cities you select as places of refuge,

Numbers 35:11 word by word

וְהִקְרִיתֶ֤ם לָכֶם֙ עָרִ֔ים עָרֵ֥י מִקְלָ֖ט תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה לָכֶ֑ם וְנָ֥ס שָׁ֙מָּה֙ רֹצֵ֔חַ מַכֵּה־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then ye shall appointקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136
• you citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• of refugeמִקְלָטmiqlâţ · refugeH4733
• for you; that the slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• may fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• thither, which killethנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• any personנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: personH5315
• at unawaresשְׁגָגָהshegâgâh · sin of errorH7684

Cross-references for Numbers 35:11

• Numbers 35:6“Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of refuge. You must allow murderers to escape to these cities. In addition, you must also give the Levites 42 other cities.
• Joshua 20:2“Tell the people of Israel, ‘Now choose for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses.
• Numbers 35:22“But suppose you accidentally kill someone who wasn’t your enemy. Maybe you shoved him or threw something at him but didn’t mean to kill him.
• Exodus 21:13If it wasn’t done intentionally, but God let it happen, the killer should flee to a place I will set aside for you.
• Deuteronomy 4:42Those who unintentionally killed someone whom they had never hated could flee to one of these cities and save their lives.
• Deuteronomy 19:4A person who unintentionally kills someone he never hated in the past may run to one of these cities to save his life.

Commentaries on Numbers 35:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Ye shall appoint - cities of refuge - The cities of refuge among the Israelites were widely different from the asyla among the Greeks and Romans, as also from the privileged altars among the Roman Catholics. Those among the Hebrews were for the protection of such only as had slain a person involuntarily. The temples and altars among the latter often served for the protection of the most profligate characters. Cities of refuge among the Hebrews were…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. 6-34Six of the Levites’ towns had a special purpose. They served as cities of refuge. A city of refuge was a place where a person could run for safety after accidentally killing someone. These cities show the humanitarian (care for human life) side of Hebrew law (see also Deuteronomy 4:41–43; 19:1–13; Joshua 20). These six towns offered protection when someone killed accidentally or unintentionally (compare Exodus 21:12–14). The 48 towns given to the Levites…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-3411. that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares--The practice of Goelism, that is, of the nearest relation of an individual who was killed being bound to demand satisfaction from the author of his death, existed from a very remote antiquity (Ge 4:14; 27:45). It seems to have been an established usage in the age of Moses; and although in a rude and imperfect state of society, it is a natural and intelligible principle of criminal…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 35:11

• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• Cities of Refuge
• City
• Congregation
• Refuge, Cities of
• Testify
• Amorites
• Appoint
• 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