Numbers 35:25

Numbers 35:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
• New International Version (NIV)The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

Context of Numbers 35:25

23Or suppose you drop a big stone, and someone is killed. However, you didn’t know the person was there, he wasn’t your enemy, and you weren’t trying to harm him. 24Then the community must use these rules in order to decide if you ⌞are innocent⌟ or if the dead person’s relative can avenge the death. ⌞If you are innocent,⌟ the community must protect you from that relative. They must take you back to the city of refuge you fled to. You must live there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26“But don’t go outside the city of refuge you fled to. 27If the relative who can avenge the death finds you outside the city of refuge and kills you, the relative is not guilty of murder.

Numbers 35:25 word by word

וְהִצִּ֨ילוּ הָעֵדָ֜ה אֶת־הָרֹצֵ֗חַ מִיַּד֮ גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּם֒ וְהֵשִׁ֤יבוּ אֹתוֹ֙ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה אֶל־עִ֥יר מִקְלָט֖וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נָ֣ס שָׁ֑מָּה וְיָ֣שַׁב בָּ֗הּ עַד־מוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־מָשַׁ֥ח אֹת֖וֹ בְּשֶׁ֥מֶן הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the congregationעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
• shall deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• the slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• out of the handיָדyâd · handH3027
• of the revengerגָּאַלgâ'al · to redeem: avengeH1350
• of bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• shall restoreשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
• him to the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• of his refugeמִקְלָטmiqlâţ · refugeH4733
• whither he was fledנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• and he shall abideיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in it unto the deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• of the highגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• which was anointedמָשַׁחmâshach · to anointH4886
• with the holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081

Cross-references for Numbers 35:25

• Numbers 35:28Accused murderers must stay in their city of refuge until the death of the high priest. They may go back to their own property only after his death.
• Joshua 20:6The accused person may remain in that city until he can stand trial in front of the congregation or until whoever is chief priest at that time dies. Then he may go back to his home in the city from which he ran away.’ ”
• Romans 3:24They receive God’s approval freely by an act of his kindness through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free ⌞from sin⌟.
• Ephesians 2:16He also brought them back to God in one body by his cross, on which he killed the hostility.
• Hebrews 4:14We need to hold on to our declaration of faith: We have a superior chief priest who has gone through the heavens. That person is Jesus, the Son of God.
• Hebrews 7:25That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
• Hebrews 9:12He used his own blood, not the blood of goats and bulls, for the sacrifice. He went into the most holy place and offered this sacrifice once and for all to free us forever.
• Hebrews 10:19Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Jesus we can now confidently go into the holy place.
• Exodus 29:7Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him.
• Leviticus 4:3“If the anointed priest does something wrong and brings guilt on the people, he must bring a bull that has no defects as an offering for sin to the Lord.
• Leviticus 8:12He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to set him apart for his holy duties.
• Leviticus 21:10“The priest who is anointed with oil and wears the chief priest’s clothes is chief over his brothers. He must never mourn by leaving his hair uncombed or by tearing his clothes.

Commentaries on Numbers 35:25

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-25Verses 16-25 The sense is: Inasmuch as to take another man‘s life by any means whatsoever is murder, and exposes the murderer to the penalty of retaliation; so, if the deed is done in hostility, it is in truth actual murder, and the murderer shall be slain; but if it be not done in hostility, then the congregation shall interpose to stop the avenger‘s hand. Numbers 35:19 When he meeteth him - Provided, of course, it were without a city of refuge. Numbers…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. 24-25If the person who caused the death was found not guilty of murder at a public trial before the community (compare Deuteronomy 19:11–12), that person had to remain in the city of refuge. The avenger was not allowed to take revenge. The community had decided that the person was not guilty of murder. until the death of the high priest: The death of the high priest likely served as a kind of expiation (a way of removing guilt or cleansing from sin) for the…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 35:25

• Anointing
• Avenger of Blood
• Government
• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

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

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