Numbers35

Numbers chapter 35 details the allocation of cities to the Levites, including the establishment of cities of refuge. These cities provided sanctuary for individuals who unintentionally caused another's death, protecting them from the revenger of blood. The chapter clearly distinguishes between intentional murder, which warranted the death penalty, and accidental manslaughter, which allowed for refuge until the high priest's death. It also emphasizes the necessity of capital punishment for murderers to prevent the defilement of the land.
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The Levites' Cities and Pasturelands

1
And Jehovah spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, ​
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Command 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. ​
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And 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.
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And 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. ​
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And 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.
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And 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. ​
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All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities; them shall ye give with their suburbs.
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And 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. ​

Establishing the Cities of Refuge

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And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
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Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
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then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither. ​
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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. ​
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And the cities which ye shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.
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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.
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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. ​

Defining Murder and Manslaughter

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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. ​
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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.
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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.
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The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death. ​
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And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died,
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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.
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But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him anything without lying in wait,
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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;
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then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances;
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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. ​
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But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth,
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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,
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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. ​
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And these things shall be for a statuteandordinance unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Judicial Procedures and Land Purity

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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. ​
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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. ​
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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.
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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. ​
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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. ​

Study Notes for Numbers 35

Verse 1

This command is given just before Israel enters Canaan, ensuring the Levites—who received no territorial inheritance—are provided for by the community.

Verse 2

The Levites, dedicated to priestly and sanctuary service, needed cities for residence and pastureland ('suburbs') for their necessary livestock.

Verse 4

The measurements are detailed: 1,000 cubits (approx. 1,500 feet) outward from the city wall for pasture, ensuring sufficient grazing area.

Verse 6

Out of the 48 total cities given to the Levites, six were designated as special sanctuaries for those who committed accidental homicide.

Verse 8

The burden of providing these cities was distributed fairly among the tribes based on the size of their inheritance and population, ensuring equitable contribution.

Verse 11

The primary purpose of the Cities of Refuge was to protect individuals who killed 'at unawares' (unintentionally or accidentally) from immediate revenge.

Verse 12

The refuge protected the slayer from the *go’el haddam* (avenger of blood) until a legal judgment could be rendered by the congregation.

Verse 15

This law demonstrates remarkable equity, extending the protection of the Cities of Refuge to resident aliens and sojourners as well as native Israelites.

Verse 16

This section begins to distinguish intentional murder (premeditated violence using a deadly weapon) from accidental killing, requiring capital punishment for the former.

Verse 19

The 'revenger of blood' (*go’el haddam*) was the closest male relative legally obligated to execute the identified murderer, upholding the principle of justice.

Verse 25

The congregation (local elders/judges) was responsible for determining the facts and returning the slayer to the city of refuge if the killing was accidental.

Verse 28

The death of the High Priest served as a symbolic atonement, marking the end of the slayer's exile and allowing him to return to his family land without fear of the avenger.

Verse 30

This verse establishes the fundamental rule that capital punishment requires the testimony of at least two witnesses, a standard repeated throughout the Law (Deut. 19:15).

Verse 31

This prohibition against accepting monetary ransom for a murderer underscores the sanctity of life; intentional murder could only be satisfied by the murderer's death.

Verse 33

Blood defiles the land because God dwells there. Justice (the execution of the murderer) is required to cleanse the land and maintain its ritual purity.

Verse 34

The presence of Yahweh among Israel necessitates strict adherence to these laws, as judicial failure would effectively pollute the land where God resides.

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