New English Translation
Numbers 35:33
33“You must not pollute the land where you live, for blood defiles the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed there, except by the blood of the person who shed it.
Numbers 35:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.
Context of Numbers 35:33
31Moreover, you must not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; he must surely be put to death. 32And you must not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a town of refuge, to allow him to return home and live on his own land before the death of the high priest. “You must not pollute the land where you live, for blood defiles the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed there, except by the blood of the person who shed it. 34Therefore do not defile the land that you will inhabit, in which I live, for I the Lord live among the Israelites.”
Read all of Numbers 35Numbers 35:33 word by word
וְלֹֽא־תַחֲנִ֣יפוּ אֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ בָּ֔הּ כִּ֣י הַדָּ֔ם ה֥וּא יַחֲנִ֖יף אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְלָאָ֣רֶץ לֹֽא־יְכֻפַּ֗ר לַדָּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שֻׁפַּךְ־בָּ֔הּ כִּי־אִ֖ם בְּדַ֥ם שֹׁפְכֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 35:33
- Leviticus 18:25Therefore the land has become unclean and I have brought the punishment for its iniquity upon it, so that the land has vomited out its inhabitants.
- Deuteronomy 21:1If a homicide victim should be found lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you, and no one knows who killed him,
- 2 Kings 23:26Yet the Lord’s great anger against Judah did not subside; he was still infuriated by all the things Manasseh had done.
- 2 Kings 24:4Because he killed innocent people and stained Jerusalem with their blood, the Lord was unwilling to forgive them.
- Psalms 106:28They worshiped Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
- Isaiah 26:21For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, to punish the sin of those who live on the earth. The earth will display the blood shed on it; it will no longer cover up its slain.
- Ezekiel 22:24“Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that receives no rain or showers in the day of my anger.’
- Hosea 4:2There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. They resort to violence and bloodshed.
- Micah 4:11Many nations have now assembled against you. They say, “Jerusalem must be desecrated, so we can gloat over Zion!”
- Matthew 23:31By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
- Luke 11:50so that this generation may be held accountable for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,
Commentaries on Numbers 35:33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33For blood it defileth the land - The very land was considered as guilty till the blood of the murderer was shed in it. No wonder God is so particularly strict in his laws against murderers, Because he is the author of life, and none have any right to dispose of it but himself. Because life is the time to prepare for the eternal world, and on it the salvation of the soul accordingly depends; therefore it is of infinite consequence to the man that his life…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. 33for bloodshed pollutes the land: If the person who caused a death, whether murder or accidental killing, was not treated as the law commanded, God viewed the land as polluted. Human bloodshed required death as a response (Genesis 4:10–11; 9:6). This rule is different from cases such as Exodus 21:29–30 (see also Leviticus 18:28; Ezekiel 36:17–18; Hosea 4:2–3). This strong warning about murder shows the great value of human life (Exodus 20:13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3429-34. these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations--The law of the blood-avenger, as thus established by divine authority, was a vast improvement on the ancient practice of Goelism. By the appointment of cities of refuge, the manslayer was saved, in the meantime, from the blind and impetuous fury of vindictive relatives; but he might be tried by the local court, and, if proved guilty on sufficient evidence…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 35:33
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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