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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)These cities will be places of protection from a dead person’s relatives who want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be put to death before being tried by the community.

Context of Numbers 35:12

10“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 11select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. 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. 13These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. 14Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities 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 shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death.
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought.
• Joshua 20:3so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.
• 2 Samuel 14:7Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”
• Numbers 35:24the assembly must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations.
• Deuteronomy 19:11But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor, and then flees to one of these cities,
• Joshua 20:4When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case before the elders of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them.

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