VERSE STUDY • KJV

Numbers 35:9-34

⁹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ¹⁰ Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; ¹¹ Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. ¹² 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. ¹³ And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. ¹⁴ Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, [which] shall be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities shall be a refuge, [both] for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. ¹⁶ And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁷ And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸ Or [if] he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁹ The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. ²⁰ But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; ²¹ Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote [him] shall surely be put to death; [for] he [is] a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. ²² But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, ²³ Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing [him] not, and cast [it] upon him, that he die, and [was] not his enemy, neither sought his harm: ²⁴ Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: ²⁵ And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border 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 kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: ²⁸ Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. ²⁹ So these [things] shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰ Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person [to cause him] to die. ³¹ Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which [is] guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. ³² And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. ³³ 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. ³⁴ Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

⁹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ¹⁰ Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; ¹¹ Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. ¹² 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. ¹³ And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. ¹⁴ Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, [which] shall be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities shall be a refuge, [both] for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. ¹⁶ And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁷ And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸ Or [if] he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁹ The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. ²⁰ But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; ²¹ Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote [him] shall surely be put to death; [for] he [is] a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. ²² But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, ²³ Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing [him] not, and cast [it] upon him, that he die, and [was] not his enemy, neither sought his harm: ²⁴ Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: ²⁵ And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border 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 kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: ²⁸ Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. ²⁹ So these [things] shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰ Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person [to cause him] to die. ³¹ Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which [is] guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. ³² And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. ³³ 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. ³⁴ Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

⁹ Then the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹ designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there. ¹² You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly. ¹³ The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge. ¹⁴ Select three cities across the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan as cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or stranger among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there. ¹⁶ If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. ¹⁷ Or if anyone has in his hand a stone of deadly size, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. ¹⁸ If anyone has in his hand a deadly object of wood, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. ¹⁹ The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him. ²⁰ Likewise, if anyone maliciously pushes another or intentionally throws an object at him and kills him, ²¹ or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood finds the murderer, he is to kill him. ²² But if anyone pushes a person suddenly, without hostility, or throws an object at him unintentionally, ²³ or without looking drops a heavy stone that kills him, but he was not an enemy and did not intend to harm him, ²⁴ then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances. ²⁵ The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ But if the manslayer ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he fled ²⁷ and the avenger of blood finds him outside of his city of refuge and kills him, then the avenger will not be guilty of bloodshed, ²⁸ because the manslayer must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest may he return to the land he owns. ²⁹ This will be a statutory ordinance for you for the generations to come, wherever you live. ³⁰ If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness. ³¹ You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death. ³² Nor should you accept a ransom for the person who flees to a city of refuge and allow him to return and live on his own land before the death of the high priest. ³³ Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. ³⁴ Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell. For I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.”

WEB World English Bible

⁹ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰ “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹ then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there. ¹² The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment. ¹³ The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge. ¹⁴ You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and you shall give three cities in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the foreigner living among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there. ¹⁶ “‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁷ If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸ Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. ¹⁹ The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meets him, he shall put him to death. ²⁰ If he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, ²¹ or in enmity struck him with his hand, so that he died; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him. ²² “‘But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait, ²³ or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; ²⁴ then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; ²⁵ and 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, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ “‘But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, where he flees, ²⁷ and the avenger of blood find him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kill the manslayer; he shall not be guilty of blood, ²⁸ because 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. ²⁹ “‘These things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰ “‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die. ³¹ “‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death. ³² “‘You shall take no ransom for him who is fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. ³³ “‘So you shall not pollute the land in which you are: for blood, it pollutes the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him who shed it. ³⁴ You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell: for I, Yahweh, dwell in the midst of the children of Israel.’”

ASV American Standard Version

⁹ And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, ¹⁰ Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹ then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither. ¹² And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment. ¹³ And the cities which ye shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge. ¹⁴ Ye shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ For 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. ¹⁶ But 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. ¹⁷ And 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. ¹⁸ Or 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. ¹⁹ The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death. ²⁰ And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, ²¹ or 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. ²² But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him anything without lying in wait, ²³ or 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; ²⁴ then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; ²⁵ and 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. ²⁶ But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth, ²⁷ and 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, ²⁸ because 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. ²⁹ And these things shall be for a statute and ordinance unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰ Whoso 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. ³¹ Moreover ye shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer, that is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death. ³² And 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. ³³ So 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. ³⁴ And 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.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

⁹ And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, ¹⁰ ‘Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye are passing over the Jordan to the land of Canaan, ¹¹ and have prepared to yourselves cities—cities of refuge they are to you—then fled thither hath a man-slayer, smiting a person unawares, ¹² and the cities have been to you for a refuge from the redeemer, and the man-slayer doth not die till his standing before the company for judgment. ¹³ As to the cities which ye give—six are cities of refuge to you; ¹⁴ the three of the cities ye give beyond the Jordan, and the three of the cities ye give in the land of Canaan; cities of refuge they are. ¹⁵ To sons of Israel, and to a sojourner, and to a settler in their midst, are these six cities for a refuge, for the fleeing thither of any one smiting a person unawares. ¹⁶ And if with an instrument of iron he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he is a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death. ¹⁷ And if with a stone in the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he is a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death. ¹⁸ Or with a wooden instrument in the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he is a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death. ¹⁹ ‘The redeemer of blood himself doth put the murderer to death; in his coming against him he doth put him to death. ²⁰ And if in hatred he thrust him through, or hath cast anything at him by lying in wait, and he dieth; ²¹ or in enmity he hath smitten him with his hand, and he dieth; the smiter is certainly put to death; he is a murderer; the redeemer of blood doth put the murderer to death in his coming against him. ²² ‘And if, in an instant, without enmity, he hath thrust him through, or hath cast at him any instrument, without lying in wait; ²³ or with any stone wherewith he dieth, without seeing, and causeth it to fall upon him, and he dieth, and he is not his enemy, nor seeking his evil; ²⁴ then have the company judged between the smiter and the redeemer of blood, by these judgments. ²⁵ ‘And the company have delivered the man-slayer out of the hand of the redeemer of blood, and the company have caused him to turn back unto the city of his refuge, whither he hath fled, and he hath dwelt in it till the death of the chief priest, who hath been anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ And if the man-slayer at all go out from the border of the city of his refuge whither he fleeth, ²⁷ and the redeemer of blood hath found him at the outside of the border of the city of his refuge, and the redeemer of blood hath slain the man-slayer, blood is not for him; ²⁸ for in the city of his refuge he doth dwell till the death of the chief priest; and after the death of the chief priest doth the man-slayer turn back unto the city of his possession. ²⁹ ‘And these things have been to you for a statute of judgment to your generations, in all your dwellings: ³⁰ whoso smiteth a person, by the mouth of witnesses doth one slay the murderer; and one witness doth not testify against a person—to die. ³¹ And ye take no atonement for the life of a murderer who is condemned—to die, for he is certainly put to death; ³² and ye take no atonement for him to flee unto the city of his refuge, to turn back to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. ³³ And ye profane not the land which ye are in, for blood profaneth the land; as to the land, it is not pardoned for blood which is shed in it except by the blood of him who sheddeth it; ³⁴ and ye defile not the land in which ye are dwelling, in the midst of which I do tabernacle, for I Jehovah do tabernacle in the midst of the sons of Israel.’

Surrounding context — Numbers 35

6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites [there shall be] six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.

7 [So] all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites [shall be] forty and eight cities: them [shall ye give] with their suburbs.

8 And the cities which ye shall give [shall be] of the possession of the children of Israel: from [them that have] many ye shall give many; but from [them that have] few ye shall give few: every one 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, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.

12 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.

13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.

14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, [which] shall be cities of refuge.

15 These six cities shall be a refuge, [both] for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 Or [if] he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote [him] shall surely be put to death; [for] he [is] a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,

23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing [him] not, and cast [it] upon him, that he die, and [was] not his enemy, neither sought his harm:

24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:

25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border 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 kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

29 So these [things] shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person [to cause him] to die.

31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which [is] guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

33 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.

34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

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HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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