Numbers 35:10-20

10 Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: When you shall have passed over the Jordan into the land of Chanaan,

11 Determine what cities shall be for the refuge of fugitives, who have shed blood against their will.

12 And when the fugitive shall be in them, the kinsman of him that is slain may not have power to kill him, until he stand before the multitude, and his cause be judged.

13 And of those cities, that are separated for the refuge of fugitives,

14 Three shall be beyond the Jordan, and three in the land of Chanaan,

15 As well for the children of Israel as for strangers and sojourners, that he may flee to them, who hath shed blood against his will.

16 If any man strike with iron, and he die that was struck: he shall be guilty of murder, and he himself shall die.

17 If he throw a stone, and he that is struck die: he shall be punished in the same manner.

18 If he that is struck with wood die: he shall be revenged by the blood of him that struck him.

19 The kinsman of him that was slain, shall kill the murderer: as soon as he apprehendeth him, he shall kill him.

20 If through hatred any one push a man, or fling any thing at him with ill design:

Numbers 35:10-20 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.