Numbers35
New American Standard
1Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying,
2“Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities.
3The cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their equipment and for all their other animals.
4“The pasture lands of the cities which you are to give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits around.
5You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.
6The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall provide for the one who commits manslaughter to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.
7The total number of the cities which you are to give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, together with their pasture lands.
8As for the cities which you shall give them from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger, and you shall take fewer from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his inheritance which he possesses.”
9Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
10“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, so that the one who commits manslaughter by killing a person unintentionally may flee there.
12The cities shall serve you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who commits manslaughter does not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.
13So the cities which you are to provide shall be six cities of refuge for you.
14You shall provide three cities across the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge.
15These six cities shall be a refuge for the sons of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreign resident among them; so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.
16‘But if he struck him with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
17And if he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
18Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
19The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he himself shall put him to death when he meets him.
20Now if he pushed him in hatred, or he threw something at him with malicious intent, and as a result he died,
21or if he struck him with his hand with hostility, and as a result he died, the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer. The blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
22‘But if he pushed him suddenly, without hostility, or threw any object at him without malicious intent,
23or had any deadly stone, and without looking he dropped it on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor was he seeking to harm him,
24then the congregation shall judge between the one who fatally struck the victim and the blood avenger in accordance with these ordinances.
25And the congregation shall save the one who committed manslaughter from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall return him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
26But if at any time he goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he flees,
27and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills him, he will not be guilty of bloodshed,
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 one who committed manslaughter may return to the land of his property.
29‘These things shall be a statutory ordinance for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.
30‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
31Moreover, you shall not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who is condemned to death, but he must be put to death.
32And you shall not accept a ransom for one who has fled to his city of refuge, so that he may return to live in the land before the death of the priest.
33So you shall not defile the land in which you live; 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 the one who shed it.
34So you shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord am dwelling in the midst of the sons 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