Numbers 35:12

Numbers 35:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

Context of Numbers 35:12

10“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, 11you must then designate some towns as towns of refuge for you, to which a person who has killed someone unintentionally may flee. And they must stand as your towns of refuge from the avenger in order that the killer may not die until he has stood trial before the community. 13These towns that you must give shall be your six towns for refuge. 14“You must give three towns on this side of the Jordan, and you must give three towns in the land of Canaan; they must be towns of refuge.

Numbers 35:12 word by word

וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֧ם הֶעָרִ֛ים לְמִקְלָ֖ט מִגֹּאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א יָמוּת֙ הָרֹצֵ֔חַ עַד־עָמְד֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they shall be unto you citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• for refugeמִקְלָטmiqlâţ · refugeH4733
• from the avengerגָּאַלgâ'al · to redeem: avengeH1350
• that the manslayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• not, until he standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the congregationעֵדָה‛êdâh · congregationH5712
• in judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941

Cross-references for Numbers 35:12

• Numbers 35:19The avenger of blood himself must kill the murderer; when he meets him, he must kill him.
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise the blood avenger will chase after the killer in the heat of his anger, eventually overtake him, and kill him, though this is not a capital case since he did not hate him at the time of the accident.
• Joshua 20:3Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood.
• 2 Samuel 14:7Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”
• Numbers 35:24then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions.
• Deuteronomy 19:11However, suppose a person hates someone else and stalks him, attacks him, kills him, and then flees to one of these cities.
• Joshua 20:4The one who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there.

Commentaries on Numbers 35:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Until he stand before the congregation in judgment - So one of these cities was not a perpetual asylum; It was only a pro tempore refuge, till the case could be fairly examined by the magistrates in the presence of the people, or the elders their representatives; and this was done in the city or place where he had done the murder, Joshua 20:4, Joshua 20:6. If he was found worthy of death, they delivered him to the avenger that he might be slain…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The avenger - Hebrew גאל gā'al a term of which the original import is uncertain. The very obscurity of its etymology testifies to the antiquity of the office which it denotes. That office rested on the principle of Genesis 9:6, “whoso sheddeth man‘s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” The unwritten code of the East conceded to the nearest kinsman of a murdered man the right of avenging the blood that had been shed. Such rude justice necessarily…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. 12a refuge from the avenger: Justice was carried out through vengeance. A designated avenger, usually a close relative of the person who died, took this role.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 35:12

• Government
• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• City
• Congregation
• Goel
• Manslayer
• Refuge, Cities of
• Testify
• Amorites
• Avenge; Avenger
• Courts, Judicial
• Crime; Crimes

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