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Numbers 35
1599 Geneva Bible
Numbers 35
1599 Geneva Bible
35 2 Unto the Levites are given cities and suburbs. 11 The cities of refuge. 16 The law of murder. 30 For one man’s witness shall no man be condemned.
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plain of Moab by Jordan, toward Jericho, saying,
2 (A)Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the [a]Levites of the inheritance of their possession, [b]cities to dwell in: ye shall give also unto the Levites the suburbs of the cities round about them.
3 So they shall have the cities to dwell in, and their suburbs shall be for their cattle, and for their substance, and for all their beasts.
4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, from the wall of the city outward shall be a thousand cubits round about.
5 And ye shall measure without the city of the East side, [c]two thousand cubits: and of the South side, two thousand cubits: and of the West side, two thousand cubits: and of the North side, two thousand cubits: and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be the measure of the suburbs of their cities.
6 And of the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, (B)there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint, that he which killeth, may flee thither: and to them ye shall add two and forty cities more.
7 All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, shall be eight and forty cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.
8 And concerning the cities which ye shall give, of the possession of the children of Israel: of many ye shall take more, and of few ye shall take less: everyone shall give of his cities unto the Levites, according to his inheritance, which he inheriteth.
9 ¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, (C)When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11 Ye shall appoint you cities, to be cities of refuge for you, that the slayer, which slayeth any person unawares, may flee thither.
12 And these cities shall be for you a refuge from thy [d]avenger, that he which killeth, die not, until he stand before the Congregation in judgment.
13 And of the cities which ye shall give, six cities shall ye have for refuge.
14 Ye shall appoint three [e]on this side Jordan, and ye shall appoint three cities in the land of (D)Canaan which shall be cities of refuge.
15 These six cities shall be a refuge for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for him that dwelleth [f]among you, that everyone which killeth any person unawares, may flee thither.
16 (E)And if one [g]smite another with an instrument of iron that he die, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall die the death.
17 Also if he smite him by casting a [h]stone, wherewith he may be slain, and he die, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall die the death.
18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may be slain, if he die, he is a murderer, and the murderer shall die the death.
19 The revenger of the blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
20 But if he thrust him (F)of hate, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die,
21 Or smite him through enmity with his hand, that he die, he that smote him shall die the death: for he is a murderer: the revenger of the blood shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him.
22 But if he pushed him [i]unadvisedly, and (G)not of hatred, or cast upon him [j]anything, without laying of wait,
23 Or any stone (whereby he might be slain), and saw him not, or caused it to fall upon him, and he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought him any harm,
24 Then the Congregation shall judge between the slayer and the [k]avenger of blood according to these laws.
25 And the Congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the Congregation shall restore him unto the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide there unto the death of the [l]high Priest, which is anointed with the holy oil.
26 But if the slayer come without the borders of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled,
27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood slay the [m]murderer, he shall be guiltless,
28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge, until the death of the high Priest: and after the death of the high Priest, the slayer shall return unto the land of his possession.
29 So these things shall be a [n]law of judgment unto you, throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30 Whosoever killeth any person, the Judge shall slay the murderer, through (H)witnesses: but (I)one witness shall not testify against a person to cause him to die.
31 Moreover ye shall take no recompense for the life of the murderer, which is [o]worthy to die: but he shall be put to death.
32 Also ye shall take no recompense for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again, and dwell in the land, before the death of the high Priest.
33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye shall dwell: for [p]blood defileth the land: and the land cannot be [q]cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, for I dwell in the midst thereof: For I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.
Footnotes
- Numbers 35:2 Because they had no inheritance assigned them in the land of Canaan.
- Numbers 35:2 God would have them scattered through all the land, because the people might be preserved by them in the obedience of God and his Law.
- Numbers 35:5 So that in all were three thousand, and in the compass of these two thousand, they might plant and sow.
- Numbers 35:12 Meaning, from the next of the kindred, who ought to pursue the cause.
- Numbers 35:14 Among the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, Deut. 4:41.
- Numbers 35:15 Hebrew, among them.
- Numbers 35:16 Wittingly, and willingly.
- Numbers 35:17 That is, with a big and dangerous stone: in Hebrew, with a stone of his hand.
- Numbers 35:22 Or, suddenly.
- Numbers 35:22 Hebrew, instrument.
- Numbers 35:24 That is, his next kinsman.
- Numbers 35:25 Under this figure is declared, that our sins could not be remitted, but by the death of the high Priest Jesus Christ.
- Numbers 35:27 By the sentence of the Judge.
- Numbers 35:29 A law to judge murders done either of purpose, or unadvisedly.
- Numbers 35:31 Which purposely hath committed murder.
- Numbers 35:33 Or, murder.
- Numbers 35:33 So God is mindful of the blood wrongfully shed, that he maketh his dumb creatures to demand vengeance thereof.
Numbers 35
New International Version
Numbers 35
New International Version
Towns for the Levites
35 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho,(A) the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in(B) from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands(C) around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals.(D)
4 “The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits[a] from the town wall. 5 Outside the town, measure two thousand cubits[b](E) on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west and two thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.(F)
Cities of Refuge(G)
6 “Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee.(H) In addition, give them forty-two other towns. 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. 8 The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.”(I)
9 Then the Lord said to Moses: 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,(J) 11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone(K) accidentally(L) may flee. 12 They will be places of refuge from the avenger,(M) so that anyone accused of murder(N) may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.(O) 13 These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.(P) 14 Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. 15 These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.
16 “‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.(Q) 17 Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 18 Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood(R) shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death.(S) 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally(T) so that they die 21 or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death;(U) that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood(V) shall put the murderer to death when they meet.
22 “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally(W) 23 or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, 24 the assembly(X) must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25 The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest,(Y) who was anointed(Z) with the holy oil.(AA)
26 “‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled 27 and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. 28 The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.
29 “‘This is to have the force of law(AB) for you throughout the generations to come,(AC) wherever you live.(AD)
30 “‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.(AE)
31 “‘Do not accept a ransom(AF) for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.
32 “‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.
33 “‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land,(AG) and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 Do not defile the land(AH) where you live and where I dwell,(AI) for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’”
Footnotes
- Numbers 35:4 That is, about 1,500 feet or about 450 meters
- Numbers 35:5 That is, about 3,000 feet or about 900 meters
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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