Numbers35
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
2Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall ye give unto the Levites.
3And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and their suburbs shall be for their cattle, and for their substance, and for all their beasts.
4And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.
5And ye shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
6And the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which ye shall give for the manslayer to flee unto: and besides them ye shall give forty and two cities.
7All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities; them shall ye give with their suburbs.
8And concerning the cities which ye shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many ye shall take many; and from the few ye shall take few: every one according to his inheritance which he inheriteth shall give of his cities unto the Levites.
9And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither.
12And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment.
13And the cities which ye shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.
14Ye shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge.
15For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that every one that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither.
16But if he smote him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
17And if he smote him with a stone in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
18Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
19The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death.
20And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died,
21or in enmity smote him with his hand, so that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meeteth him.
22But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him anything without lying in wait,
23or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;
24then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances;
25and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
26But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth,
27and the avenger of blood find him without the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slay the manslayer; he shall not be guilty of blood,
28because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return into the land of his possession.
29And these things shall be for a statute and ordinance unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.
31Moreover ye shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer, that is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.
32And ye shall take no ransom for him that is fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
33So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood, it polluteth the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
34And thou shalt not defile the land which ye inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell: for I, Jehovah, dwell in the midst of the children of Israel.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 35.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The cities of the Levites. (1–8). The cities of refuge, The laws about murder. (9–34).
vv1-8
The cities of the priests and Levites were not only to accommodate them, but to place them, as religious teachers, in several parts of the land. For though the typical service of the tabernacle or temple was only in one place, the preaching of the word of God, and prayer and praise, were not thus confined. These cities were to be given out of each tribe. Each thus made a grateful acknowledgement to God. Each tribe had the benefit of the Levites dwelling amongst them, to teach them the knowledge of the Lord; thus no parts of the country were left to sit in darkness. The gospel provides that he who is taught in the word, should communicate to him that teaches, in all good things, Ga 6:6. We are to free God's ministers from distracting cares, and to leave them at leisure for the duties of their station; so that they may be wholly employed therein, and avail themselves of every opportunity, by acts of kindness, to gain the good-will of the people, and to draw their attention.
vv9-34
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 to cause death, and an unintentional blow. In the latter case alone, the city of refuge afforded protection. Murder in all its forms, and under all disguises, pollutes a land. Alas! that so many murders, under the name of duels, prize-fights, etc. should pass unpunished. There were six cities of refuge; one or other might be reached in less than a day's journey from any part of the land. To these, man-slayers might flee for refuge, and be safe, till they had a fair trial. If acquitted from the charge, they were protected from the avenger of blood; yet they must continue within the bounds of the city till the death of the high priest. Thus we are reminded that the death of the great High Priest is the only means whereby sins are pardoned, and sinners set at liberty. These cities are plainly alluded to, both in the Old and New Testament, we cannot doubt the typical character of their appointment. Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, saith the voice of mercy, Zec 9:12, alluding to the city of refuge. St. Paul describes the strong consolation of fleeing for refuge to the hope set before us, in a passage always applied to the gracious appointment of the cities of refuge, Heb 6:18. The rich mercies of salvation, through Christ, prefigured by these cities, demand our regard. 1. Did the ancient city rear its towers of safety on high? See Christ raised up on the cross; and is he not exalted at the right hand of his Father, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins? 2. Does not the highway of salvation, resemble the smooth and plain path to the city of refuge? Survey the path that leads to the Redeemer. Is there any stumbling-block to be found therein, except that which an evil heart of unbelief supplies for its own fall? 3. Waymarks were set up pointing to the city. And is it not the office of the ministers of the gospel to direct sinners to Him? 4. The gate of the city stood open night and day. Has not Christ declared, Him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast out? 5. The city of refuge afforded support to every one who entered its walls. Those who have reached the refuge, may live by faith on Him whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed. 6. The city was a refuge for all. In the gospel there is no respect of persons. That soul lives not which deserves not Divine wrath; that soul lives not which may not in simple faith hope for salvation and life eternal, through the Son of God.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
עֲרָבָה: a desert; especially (with the article prefix) the (generally) sterile valley of the Jordan and its continuation to the Red Sea
מוֹאָב: Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יַרְדֵּן: Jarden, the principal river of Palestine
יְרִיחוֹ: Jericho or Jerecho, a place in Palestine
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
צָוָה: (intensively) to constitute, enjoin
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
Cross References
Numbers 35New Testament picture of fleeing for refuge to Christ, prefigured by the cities of refuge.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The historical implementation and naming of the six designated cities of refuge under Joshua.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses setting apart the three cities of refuge on the east side of Jordan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jacob's prophecy scattering Levi is here graciously turned into a national teaching distribution.
Supported by John Calvin
The principle of distributing inheritance in proportion to size, applied to Levitical cities.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The original Covenant Code promise that God would appoint a place for the accidental slayer.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The concrete legal illustration of a manslayer killing his neighbor unawares with an axe.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Explains how the avenger of blood might pursue and slay the manslayer in hot passion.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The foundational Noahic mandate requiring the death penalty for intentional murder.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The statutory requirement of at least two or three witnesses to establish a charge.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Demonstrates the right of redemption within Levitical lands, showing how property remained within families.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the common lands of the suburbs, which could not be sold.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms the manslayer must dwell in the city of refuge until the high priest's death.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrasts the mortal high priest whose death freed the manslayer with Christ's eternal priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The expiation ceremony for unsolved murders, illustrating that unavenged blood defiles the land.
Supported by Matthew Henry