Numbers 35:11-21

11 ye shall bylde cities whiche shalbe preuyleged townes for you: that he whiche sleeth a man vnwares maye flye thither.

12 And the cities shalbe to flee from the executer of bloude that he whyche kylled dye not vntill he stonde before the congregacion in iudgement.

13 And of these vi. fre cities

14 which ye shall geue .iij. ye shall geue on this syde Iordayne and .iij. in ye londe of Canaan.

15 And these sixe fre cities shalbe for the childern of Israel and for the straunger and for him that dwelleth amonge you yt all thei which kill any persone vnwares maye flee thither.

16 Yf any man smyte another with a wepo of yerne that he dye than he is a murtherer and shall dye for it.

17 Yf he smyte him with a throwinge stone that he dye therwith then he shall dye: for he is a murtherer and shalbe slayne therfore.

18 Yf he smyte him with a handwepon of wodd that he dye therwith then he shall dye: for he is a murtherer and shalbe slayne therfore.

19 The iudge of bloude shall slee the murtherer as sone as he fyndeth him:

20 Yf he thrust him of hate or hourle at him with layenge of wayte that he dye

21 or smyte him with his hande of enuye that he dye he that smote him shall dye for he is a murtherer. The iustice of bloude shall slee him as soone as he fyndeth him.

Numbers 35:11-21 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.