Numbers 35:2-12

2 commaunde the childern of Israel that they geue vnto the leuites of the enheritauce of their possession: cities to dwell in. And ye shall geue also vnto the cities of ye leuites suburbes rounde aboute them.

3 The cities shalbe for them to dwell in and ye suburbes for their catell possession and all maner bestes of theirs.

4 And the suburbes of the cities which ye shall geue vnto the leuites shall reach from the wall of ye citie outwarde a thousande cubites rounde aboute.

5 And ye shall measure without the citie and make the utmost border of the eastsyde: two thousande cubites And the vtmost border of the south syde: two thousande cubetes And the vtmost border of the west syde: two thousande cubetes: and the vtmost border of the north syde: two thousande cubetes also: and the citie shalbe in the myddes. And these shall be the suburbes of their cities.

6 And amonge the cities which ye shall geue vnto the leuites there shall be sixe cities of fraunches which ye shall geue to that intent that he which killeth maye flye thyder. And to them ye shall adde .xlij. cities mo:

7 so that all the cities which ye shall geue the leuites shalbe .xlviij. with their suburbes.

8 And of the cities which ye shall geue oute of the possessyons of the childern of Israel ye shall geue many out of their possessions that haue moche and fewe out of their possessios that haue litle: so that euery tribe shall geue of his cities vnto the leuites acordinge to the enheritaunce which he enhereteth.

9 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses sayenge:

10 speake vnto the childern of Israel and saye vnto them: when ye be come ouer Iordayne in to the londe of Canaan

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.

Numbers 35:2-12 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.