Numbers 35:11

11 And ye shall appoint to yourselves cities: they shall be to you cities of refuge for the slayer to flee to, every one who has killed another unintentionally.

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.

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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 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

10 Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Ye are to cross over Jordan into the land of Chanaan.

11 And ye shall appoint to yourselves cities: they shall be to you cities of refuge for the slayer to flee to, every one who has killed another unintentionally.

12 And the cities shall be to you places of refuge from the avenger of blood, and the slayer shall not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

13 And the cities which ye shall assign, the six cities, shall be places of refuge for you.

Footnotes

• [a]. smitten a life.