New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Numbers 35
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On the flatlands of Moab, the Lord spoke to Moses. It was by the Jordan River across from Jericho. The Lord said,
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 22:1
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"Command the people of Israel to give the Levites towns to live in. The towns must come from the shares of land the people will have as their own. Also give the Levites the grasslands that are around the towns.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 48:8
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Then the Levites will have towns to live in. They will also have grasslands that are for their cattle, flocks and all of their other livestock.
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"The grasslands that are around each town you give them will go out to 1,500 feet from the town wall.
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Outside each town, the east side will measure 3,000 feet. The south side will measure 3,000 feet. The west side will measure 3,000 feet. And the north side will measure 3,000 feet. The town must be in the center. The Levites will have the area around it as grasslands.
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"Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities to go to for safety. A person who has killed someone can run to one of them. Also give the Levites 42 other towns.
Reference
7
You must give the Levites a total of 48 towns. Also give them the grasslands that are around the towns.
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"The towns you give the Levites must come from the land the people of Israel have as their own. So the number you give from each tribe will depend on the size of that tribe's share. Take many towns from a tribe that has many. But take only a few towns from a tribe that has only a few."
Reference
9
Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
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"Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, 'You will soon go across the Jordan River. You will enter Canaan.
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When you do, choose the cities to go to for safety. People who have killed someone by accident can run to one of those cities.
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12
They will be places of safety for them. People will be safe there from those who want to kill them. Then those who are charged with murder will not die before their case has been brought to the community court.
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Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 19:6
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" 'Six towns will be the cities you can go to for safety.
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Three will be east of the Jordan River. The other three will be in Canaan.
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" 'Those six towns will be places where the people of Israel can go for safety. Outsiders and any other people living in Israel can also go to them for safety. So anyone who has killed another person by accident can run there.
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Parallel theme
Numbers 15:16
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" 'Suppose a person uses an iron object to hit and kill someone. Then he is a murderer. He must be put to death.
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Parallel theme
Leviticus 24:17
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Or suppose a person is holding a stone that could kill. And he uses it to hit and kill someone. Then he is a murderer. He must be put to death.
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Or suppose a person is holding a wooden object that could kill. And he uses it to hit and kill someone. Then he is a murderer. He must be put to death.
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" 'The dead person's nearest male relative should kill the murderer. When he meets him, he should kill him.
Reference
20
" 'What if a person makes evil plans against someone else? And what if that person pushes him so that he dies? Or what if that person throws something at him so that he dies?
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21
Or what if that person hits the other person with a fist so that the other dies? Then the person who does any of those things must be put to death. He is a murderer. " 'The dead person's nearest male relative should kill the murderer. When he meets him, he should kill him.
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" 'But what if a person suddenly pushes someone else without being angry? Or what if that person throws something at him without meaning to?
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23
Or what if that person does not see him and drops a stone on him that kills him? He was not the dead person's enemy. He did not mean to harm him.
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" 'Then the court must decide between the person who did the act and the nearest male relative of the one who was killed. Here are the rules the court must follow.
Reference
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" 'The court must provide a safe place for the person who is charged with murder. It must keep him safe from those who want to kill him. The court must send him back to the city he ran to for safety. He must stay there until the high priest dies. The priest is the one who has been anointed with the holy oil.
Reference
26
" 'But suppose the one who has been charged with murder goes outside that city.
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And suppose the dead person's nearest male relative finds that one outside the city. Then the relative can kill the one who has been charged. The relative will not be guilty of murder.
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" 'The one who has been charged must stay in that city until the high priest dies. Only then can the one who has been charged return home.
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" 'That is what the law requires of you for all time to come. It will apply to you no matter where you live.
Reference
Judgment
Numbers 27:11
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" 'Suppose a person kills someone. That person must be put to death as a murderer. But do it only when there are witnesses who can tell what happened. Do not put anyone to death if only one witness tells what happened.
Reference
31
" 'Do not accept payment for a murderer's life. He should die. He must certainly be put to death.
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" 'Do not accept payment for anyone who has run to a city for safety. Do not let him buy his freedom to return home. He must not go back and live on his own land before the high priest dies.
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" 'Do not pollute the land where you are. Murder pollutes the land. Only one thing can pay to remove the pollution in the land where murder has been committed. The blood of the one who spilled another's blood must be spilled.
Reference
Blood
Psalm 106:38
Isaiah 26:21
Genesis 9:6
2 Kings 24:4
Parallel theme
Leviticus 18:25
2 Kings 23:26
Micah 4:11
Summary of Numbers 35
Numbers chapter 35 describes the cities given to the Levites and declares the cities of refuge for those who have killed someone accidentally. It forms part of the instructions for the Israelites regarding their way of life in the promised land. Although the Israelites received bigger chunks of land as their inheritance, the Levites were given cities and pastures because the Levites did not receive an inheritance.
The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River and instructed the Israelites to give cities to the Levites from their own inheritance. The Levites were to be given 48 cities including their pasture land.
The cities were to be distributed among the Israelites in such a way that they were not all placed in one region but spread out among the other tribes. This was so that the Levites could live among the other Israelites since they served in the tabernacle.
The chapter also gives measurements of the land that was to be given to the Levites. This included land for their cattle and other needs.
These 48 cities were to be taken from the other tribes’ portions. The ones belonging to big tribes were to give more than those of small tribes.
From the 48 cities belonging to the Levites, six were to be cities of refuge. Of the six cities of refuge, three were to be in the east of Jordan and three in the land of Canaan.
Cities of refuge were to serve as a safe place for a person who had killed someone unintentionally. The Israelite law recognized the right of avengers to avenge the death of their relative. However, a murderer who killed had to flee to a city of refuge and remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with oil.
The law goes on to distinguish between murder and killing someone accidentally. According to the law, if a person killed another person by striking them on the head with an iron object, the murderer was guilty and had to be put to death by the avenger of blood. The law makes similar provisions for those who have killed using a stone or an iron object or any other object that could cause death.
The law also distinguishes between the murderer who kills intentionally or the one who kills in anger. For example, if a person deliberately struck another person with a stone or with any other object that could kill them or pushed them and caused them to die, then that person was guilty of murder. In all these cases, a murderer was put to death. On the other hand, if a person killed another person in anger, pushed them or threw something at them without intent or with hatred, then they were not to be considered guilty but brought to the congregation for judgment. If the congregation found that the death was accidental, then the killer could be protected in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest.
A person who has killed another person and is brought to trial is to determine whether his death is accidental or not. If the person killed another person with the intent of killing them by pushing them, throwing something at them with anger or even with a weapon that could cause death, that person is guilty of murder. On the other hand, if a person has pushed another person, thrown something at them or used a weapon and has killed them but did not mean to do so, the congregation is to convict the person of manslaughter.
If a person accidentally kills another person, the city of refuge provides them with protection. However, if the person who killed another person left the city of refuge, the avenger of blood could kill them with impunity. The city of refuge was not a permanent safe haven but rather one that existed until the end of the reign of the high priest who was anointed with oil. Therefore, if someone who had accidentally killed another person returned to their land after the death of the high priest, they would be safe from the avenger of blood. After the death of the high priest, anyone who had killed another person could return to their land without fear.
The law further states that if someone is accused of murdering another person, the murderer must have at least two witnesses who will testify against them before they could be convicted. A single witness was not enough to convict a person for a crime that carried a death sentence.
The law forbids receiving money to spare the life of someone who has committed a crime such as murder. The murderer must also not be able to pay to avoid death penalty. Similarly, a person could not be forced to pay to return to their land after having accidentally killed another person and fled to the city of refuge. The law further forbids offering a ransom to the avenger of blood to stop them from killing a murderer.
The law states that murder pollutes the land and therefore the Israelites must not allow innocent blood to remain in their land. The law further states that they must preserve the land from being polluted by innocent blood.
The law of cities of refuge and murder demonstrates the Israelites’ holiness and respect for human life, as well as their desire to keep the land holy. The cities of refuge demonstrate mercy to those who have killed another person accidentally by giving them a safe haven. At the same time, the cities prevent avengers from taking justice into their hands and killing the killer without trial. In addition, they demonstrate that the Israelites valued the life of a murderer even when they had committed an intentional murder, such as killing someone in anger or with intent. The law further shows that those who intentionally killed another person were held responsible for their actions and punished accordingly. They distinguished between murder and manslaughter. It also shows that the Israelites placed a high value on human life, which is why they were so concerned about preserving the sanctity of human life and punishing those who took it.
The law further states that the Israelites must not offer payment to a murderer to help them avoid punishment or to the avenger of blood to enable them to take the life of the murderer. The law does not make any provision for paying a ransom or compensation for those who have killed another person.
The chapter ends with a warning to the Israelites not to pollute the land with innocent blood. The Israelites had a responsibility to keep their land free from innocent blood. They would not allow people to take the law into their hands but instead bring them to trial before executing punishment.
The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River and instructed the Israelites to give cities to the Levites from their own inheritance. The Levites were to be given 48 cities including their pasture land.
The cities were to be distributed among the Israelites in such a way that they were not all placed in one region but spread out among the other tribes. This was so that the Levites could live among the other Israelites since they served in the tabernacle.
The chapter also gives measurements of the land that was to be given to the Levites. This included land for their cattle and other needs.
These 48 cities were to be taken from the other tribes’ portions. The ones belonging to big tribes were to give more than those of small tribes.
From the 48 cities belonging to the Levites, six were to be cities of refuge. Of the six cities of refuge, three were to be in the east of Jordan and three in the land of Canaan.
Cities of refuge were to serve as a safe place for a person who had killed someone unintentionally. The Israelite law recognized the right of avengers to avenge the death of their relative. However, a murderer who killed had to flee to a city of refuge and remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with oil.
The law goes on to distinguish between murder and killing someone accidentally. According to the law, if a person killed another person by striking them on the head with an iron object, the murderer was guilty and had to be put to death by the avenger of blood. The law makes similar provisions for those who have killed using a stone or an iron object or any other object that could cause death.
The law also distinguishes between the murderer who kills intentionally or the one who kills in anger. For example, if a person deliberately struck another person with a stone or with any other object that could kill them or pushed them and caused them to die, then that person was guilty of murder. In all these cases, a murderer was put to death. On the other hand, if a person killed another person in anger, pushed them or threw something at them without intent or with hatred, then they were not to be considered guilty but brought to the congregation for judgment. If the congregation found that the death was accidental, then the killer could be protected in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest.
A person who has killed another person and is brought to trial is to determine whether his death is accidental or not. If the person killed another person with the intent of killing them by pushing them, throwing something at them with anger or even with a weapon that could cause death, that person is guilty of murder. On the other hand, if a person has pushed another person, thrown something at them or used a weapon and has killed them but did not mean to do so, the congregation is to convict the person of manslaughter.
If a person accidentally kills another person, the city of refuge provides them with protection. However, if the person who killed another person left the city of refuge, the avenger of blood could kill them with impunity. The city of refuge was not a permanent safe haven but rather one that existed until the end of the reign of the high priest who was anointed with oil. Therefore, if someone who had accidentally killed another person returned to their land after the death of the high priest, they would be safe from the avenger of blood. After the death of the high priest, anyone who had killed another person could return to their land without fear.
The law further states that if someone is accused of murdering another person, the murderer must have at least two witnesses who will testify against them before they could be convicted. A single witness was not enough to convict a person for a crime that carried a death sentence.
The law forbids receiving money to spare the life of someone who has committed a crime such as murder. The murderer must also not be able to pay to avoid death penalty. Similarly, a person could not be forced to pay to return to their land after having accidentally killed another person and fled to the city of refuge. The law further forbids offering a ransom to the avenger of blood to stop them from killing a murderer.
The law states that murder pollutes the land and therefore the Israelites must not allow innocent blood to remain in their land. The law further states that they must preserve the land from being polluted by innocent blood.
The law of cities of refuge and murder demonstrates the Israelites’ holiness and respect for human life, as well as their desire to keep the land holy. The cities of refuge demonstrate mercy to those who have killed another person accidentally by giving them a safe haven. At the same time, the cities prevent avengers from taking justice into their hands and killing the killer without trial. In addition, they demonstrate that the Israelites valued the life of a murderer even when they had committed an intentional murder, such as killing someone in anger or with intent. The law further shows that those who intentionally killed another person were held responsible for their actions and punished accordingly. They distinguished between murder and manslaughter. It also shows that the Israelites placed a high value on human life, which is why they were so concerned about preserving the sanctity of human life and punishing those who took it.
The law further states that the Israelites must not offer payment to a murderer to help them avoid punishment or to the avenger of blood to enable them to take the life of the murderer. The law does not make any provision for paying a ransom or compensation for those who have killed another person.
The chapter ends with a warning to the Israelites not to pollute the land with innocent blood. The Israelites had a responsibility to keep their land free from innocent blood. They would not allow people to take the law into their hands but instead bring them to trial before executing punishment.