Numbers 35:10-20

10 "Say to the people of Israel, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11 then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there.

12 The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

13 And the cities which you give shall be your six cities of refuge.

14 You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge.

15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that any one who kills any person without intent may flee there.

16 "But if he struck him down with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.

17 And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.

18 Or if he struck him down with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.

19 The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

20 And if he stabbed him from hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died,

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.