God’s Word Translation
Numbers 35:6
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.
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
4“The land around the cities that you give the Levites will extend 1,500 feet from the city wall. 5Outside the city measure off 3,000 feet on the east side, 3,000 feet on the south side, 3,000 feet on the west side, and 3,000 feet on the north side, with the city in the center. This will be their pastureland around the city. “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. 7So you will give a total of 48 cities with pastureland to the Levites. 8The cities you give the Levites from the property of the other Israelites must be given based on the amount of land each tribe owns. Take more cities from larger tribes and fewer from smaller tribes.”
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 35:13There will be six cities you select as places of refuge,
- Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan River.
- Joshua 20:2“Tell the people of Israel, ‘Now choose for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses.
- Joshua 21:3So, as the Lord had instructed, Levi’s descendants were given the following cities with pasturelands from the Israelites’ inheritance.
- Psalms 9:9The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
- Psalms 62:7My salvation and my glory depend on God. God is the rock of my strength, my refuge.
- Psalms 142:4Look to my right and see that no one notices me. Escape is impossible for me. No one cares about me.
- Isaiah 4:6It will be a shelter from the heat during the day as well as a refuge and hiding place from storms and rain.
- Matthew 11:28“Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.
- Hebrews 6:18God did this so that we would be encouraged. God cannot lie when he takes an oath or makes a promise. These two things can never be changed. Those of us who have taken refuge in him hold on to the confidence we have been given.
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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