Numbers 35:11

11 you are to designate for yourselves cities that will be cities of refuge for you, to which anyone who kills someone by mistake can flee.

Numbers 35:11 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 35:11

Then ye shall appoint your cities to be cities of refuge for
you
And, according to the Jewish writers F9, these were neither to be made large nor little, but middling; and they appointed them where there were markets and fairs, at which goods were to be sold; and where there was plenty of water, and a multitude of people; and where there were but few, they fetched others from other places; and they neither made nets for hunting, nor twisted ropes in them, nor sold any warlike instruments, lest the avenger of blood should use himself to come thither, under pretence of buying such things, and kill the manslayer:

that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares;
or through error
F11, or mistake, not on purpose, with design, or through malice and enmity, as is afterwards more largely explained.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Maimon. Rotzeach, c. 8. sect. 8. Vid. T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 10. 1.
F11 (hggvb) "per errorem", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "per imprudentiam", Tigurine version: Vatablus; "in ignorantia", Montanus.

Numbers 35:11 In-Context

9 ADONAI said to Moshe,
10 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'When you cross the Yarden into the land of Kena'an,
11 you are to designate for yourselves cities that will be cities of refuge for you, to which anyone who kills someone by mistake can flee.
12 These cities are to be a refuge for you from the dead person's next-of-kin, who might otherwise avenge his kinsman's death by slaying the killer prior to his standing trial before the community.
13 In regard to the cities you are to give, there are to be six cities of refuge for you.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.