Numbers 35:22-32

22 '1But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something * at him without lying in wait,
23 or with any deadly * object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury,
24 then 2the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances.
25 'The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
26 'But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee,
27 and the blood avenger finds him outside * the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he will 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 to the land of his possession.
29 'These things shall be for a 3statutory ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30 '4If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but 5no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.
31 'Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.
32 'You shall not take ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to live in the land before the death of the priest.

Numbers 35:22-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 35

Though the tribe of Levi had no part in the division of the land, yet cities out of the several tribes are here ordered to be given them to dwell in, to the number of forty eight, Nu 35:1-8, six of which were to be cities of refuge, Nu 35:9-15, but not for wilful murderers, in whatsoever way they might kill a man, Nu 35:16-21, but for such who had killed a man unawares, Nu 35:22-24, and several rules are given relating to such persons, Nu 35:25-29, but no satisfaction was to be taken in case of murder, nor to excuse a person's return to his own house before the death of the high priest, who had fled to a city of refuge, that so the land might not be defiled, Nu 35:30-34.

Cross References 5

  • 1. Numbers 35:11
  • 2. Joshua 20:6
  • 3. Numbers 27:11
  • 4. Numbers 35:16
  • 5. Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16; John 7:51; John 8:17, 18

Footnotes 3

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