Numbers 35:24-34

24 then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the kinsman avenger {Heb. redeemer} of blood according to these laws.

25 And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the kinsman avenger {Heb. redeemer} of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, where he has fled, and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

26 But if the manslayer shall at any time come outside the border of the city of his refuge where he has fled,

27 and the kinsman avenger {Heb. redeemer} of blood finds him outside the borders of the city of his refuge, and the kinsman avenger {Heb. redeemer} of blood slays the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of his blood.

28 He should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return into the land of his possession.

29 So these things shall be for a statute of rights unto you throughout your ages in all your dwellings.

30 Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses, but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

31 Moreover ye shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall be surely put to death.

32 And ye shall take no ransom for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

33 So ye shall not pollute the land where ye are, for this blood shall defile the land; and the land cannot be reconciled of the blood that is shed therein except by the blood of the one that shed it.

34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the sons of Israel.

Numbers 35:24-34 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.