Numbers 35

Cities for the Levites

11Now the LordH3068 spokeH1696 to MosesH4872 in the plainsH6160 of MoabH4124, by the JordanH3383 opposite JerichoH3405, sayingH559, 2“CommandH6680 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 that they giveH5414 to the LevitesH3881 from the inheritanceH5159 of their possessionH272 citiesH5892 to liveH3427 in; and you shall giveH5414 to the LevitesH3881 pastureH4054 landsH4054 aroundH5439 the citiesH5892. 3The citiesH5892 shall be theirsH1992 to liveH3427 in; and their pastureH4054 landsH4054 shall be for their cattleH929 and for their equipmentH7399 and for allH3605 their other animalsH2421.

4“The pastureH4054 landsH4054 of the citiesH5892 whichH834 you are to giveH5414 to the LevitesH3881 shall extend from the wallH7023 of the cityH5892 2outwardH2351 a thousandH505 cubitsH520 aroundH5439. 5You shall also measureH4058 outsideH4480H2351 the cityH5892 on the eastH6924 sideH6285 two thousandH505 cubitsH520, on the southH5045 sideH6285 two thousandH505 cubitsH520, on the westH3220 sideH6285 two thousandH505 cubitsH520, and on the northH6828 sideH6285 two thousandH505 cubitsH520, with the cityH5892 in the centerH8432. ThisH2088 shall becomeH1961 theirsH1992 as pastureH4054 landsH4054 for the citiesH5892.

Cities of Refuge

6The citiesH5892 whichH834 you shall giveH5414 to the LevitesH3881 shall be the 3sixH8337 citiesH5892 of refugeH4733, whichH834 you shall provideH5414 for the one who commitsH7523 manslaughterH7523 to fleeH5127 to; and inH5921 additionH5921 toH5921 them you shall giveH5414 forty-twoH705H8147 citiesH5892. 7The totalH3605 number of the citiesH5892 whichH834 you are to giveH5414 to the LevitesH3881 shall be 4forty-eightH705H8083 citiesH5892, 5together with their pastureH4054 landsH4054. 86As for the citiesH5892 whichH834 you shall giveH5414 them from the possessionH272 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, you shall takeH7235 moreH7235 from the largerH7227, and you shall takeH4591 fewerH4591 from the smallerH4592; eachH376 shall giveH5414 someH4480 of his citiesH5892 to the LevitesH3881 in proportionH6310 to his inheritanceH5159 whichH834 he possessesH5157.”

9Then the LordH3068 spokeH1696 to MosesH4872, sayingH559, 10“7SpeakH1696 to the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 and sayH559 to them, ‘WhenH3588 you crossH5674 the JordanH3383 into the landH776 of CanaanH3667, 118then you shall selectH7136 for yourselves citiesH5892 to be your 9citiesH5892 of refugeH4733, so that the one who commitsH7523 manslaughterH7523 by 10killingH5221 a personH5315 11unintentionallyH7684 may fleeH5127 thereH8033. 1212The citiesH5892 shall 13serve you as a refugeH4733 from the avengerH1350, so that the one who commitsH7523 manslaughterH7523 does not dieH4191 untilH5704 he standsH5975 beforeH6440 the congregationH5712 for 14trialH4941. 13So the citiesH5892 whichH834 you are to provideH5414 shall be sixH8337 citiesH5892 of refugeH4733 for you. 14You 15shall provideH5414 threeH7969 citiesH5892 acrossH4480H5676 the JordanH3383, and threeH7969 citiesH5892 16in the landH776 of CanaanH3667; they are to be citiesH5892 of refugeH4733. 15TheseH428 sixH8337 citiesH5892 shall be a refugeH4733 for the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, for the strangerH1616, and for the foreignH8453 residentH8453 amongH8432 them; so that anyoneH3605 who 17killsH5221 a personH5315 18unintentionallyH7684 may fleeH5127 thereH8033.

16‘19But ifH518 he struckH5221 him with an ironH1270 objectH3627, so that he diedH4191, he is a murdererH7523; the murdererH7523 mustH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191. 17And ifH518 he struckH5221 him with a stoneH68 in the handH3027, by whichH834 he would dieH4191, and as a result he did dieH4191, he is a murdererH7523; the murdererH7523 20mustH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191. 18OrH176 if he struckH5221 him with a woodenH6086 objectH3627 in the handH3027, by whichH834 he would dieH4191, and as a result he did dieH4191, he is a murdererH7523; the murdererH7523 mustH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191. 19The bloodH1818 avengerH1350 himselfH1931 shall putH4191 the murdererH7523 toH4191 deathH4191; he himself shall putH4191 him toH4191 deathH4191 when he meetsH6293 him. 20Now 21ifH518 he pushedH1920 him in hatredH8135, orH176 he threwH7993 something at him 2223with maliciousH6660 intentH6660, and as a result he diedH4191, 21orH176 if he struckH5221 him with his handH3027 with hostilityH342, and as a result he diedH4191, the one who struckH5221 him mustH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191; he is a murdererH7523. The bloodH1818 avengerH1350 shall putH4191 the murdererH7523 toH4191 deathH4191 when he meetsH6293 him.

22‘24But ifH518 he pushedH1920 him suddenlyH6621, withoutH3808 hostilityH342, orH176 threwH7993 anyH3605 objectH3627 at him withoutH3808 25maliciousH6660 intentH6660, 23orH176 had anyH3605 26deadlyH834H4191 stoneH68, and withoutH3808 lookingH7200 he droppedH5307 it on him so that he diedH4191, while he was not his enemyH340 norH3808 was he seekingH1245 27to harmH7463 him, 24then 28the congregationH5712 shall judgeH8199 betweenH996 the one who fatallyH5221 struckH5221 the victim and the bloodH1818 avengerH1350 inH5921 accordanceH5921 withH5921 theseH428 ordinancesH4941. 25And the congregationH5712 shall saveH5337 the one who committedH7523 manslaughterH7523 from the handH3027 of the bloodH1818 avengerH1350, and the congregationH5712 shall returnH7725 him to his cityH5892 of refugeH4733 to whichH834 he fledH5127; and he shall liveH3427 in it untilH5704 the deathH4194 of the highH1419 priestH3548 whoH834 was anointedH4886 with the holyH6944 oilH8081. 26But ifH518 atH3318 anyH3318 timeH3318 29he goesH3318 beyondH3318 the borderH1366 of his cityH5892 of refugeH4733 to whichH834 he fleesH5127, 27and the bloodH1818 avengerH1350 findsH4672 him outsideH4480H2351 the borderH1366 of his cityH5892 of refugeH4733, and the bloodH1818 avengerH1350 killsH7523 30him, he 31will not be guilty of bloodshedH1818, 28becauseH3588 he should have remainedH3427 in his cityH5892 of refugeH4733 untilH5704 the deathH4194 of the highH1419 priestH3548. But afterH310 the deathH4194 of the highH1419 priestH3548 the one who committedH7523 manslaughterH7523 may returnH7725 to the landH776 of his propertyH272.

29‘TheseH428 thingsH428 shall be a 32statutoryH2708 ordinanceH4941 for you throughout your generationsH1755 in allH3605 your dwellingH4186 placesH4186.

30‘33If anyoneH3605 killsH5221 a personH5315, the murdererH7523 shall be putH7523 toH7523 deathH7523 on the 34testimonyH6310 of witnessesH5707, but 35noH3808 personH5315 shall be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191 onH6030 theH6030 testimonyH6030 of only oneH259 witnessH5707. 31Moreover, you shall not acceptH3947 a ransomH3724 for the lifeH5315 of a murdererH7523 whoH834 is 36condemnedH7563 to deathH4191, but he mustH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191. 32And you shall not acceptH3947 a ransomH3724 for one who has fledH5127 to his cityH5892 of refugeH4733, so that he may returnH7725 to liveH3427 in the landH776 37beforeH5704 the deathH4194 of the priestH3548. 3338So you shall not defileH2610 the landH776 in whichH834 you live; for bloodH1818 defilesH2610 the landH776, and noH3808 atonementH3722 can be madeH3722 for the landH776 for the bloodH1818 that is shedH8210 on it, exceptH3588H518 39by the bloodH1818 of the one who shedH8210 it. 34So you shall not 40defileH2930 the landH776 in whichH834 you liveH3427, in the midstH8432 of whichH834 41I dwellH7931; for I the LordH3068 am dwellingH7931 in the midstH8432 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478.’”