Numbers 35:1-11

1 haec quoque locutus est Dominus ad Mosen in campestribus Moab super Iordanem contra Hiericho

2 praecipe filiis Israhel ut dent Levitis de possessionibus suis

3 urbes ad habitandum et suburbana earum per circuitum ut ipsi in oppidis maneant et suburbana sint pecoribus ac iumentis

4 quae a muris civitatum forinsecus per circuitum mille passuum spatio tendentur

5 contra orientem duo milia erunt cubiti et contra meridiem similiter duo milia ad mare quoque quod respicit occidentem eadem mensura erit et septentrionalis plaga aequali termino finietur eruntque urbes in medio et foris suburbana

6 de ipsis autem oppidis quae Levitis dabitis sex erunt in fugitivorum auxilia separata ut fugiat ad ea qui fuderit sanguinem exceptis his alia quadraginta duo oppida

7 id est simul quadraginta octo cum suburbanis suis

8 ipsaeque urbes quae dabuntur de possessionibus filiorum Israhel ab his qui plus habent plures auferentur et qui minus pauciores singuli iuxta mensuram hereditatis suae dabunt oppida Levitis

9 ait Dominus ad Mosen

10 loquere filiis Israhel et dices ad eos quando transgressi fueritis Iordanem in terram Chanaan

11 decernite quae urbes esse debeant in praesidia fugitivorum qui nolentes sanguinem fuderint

Numbers 35:1-11 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.