Numbers 35:6-15

Cities of Refuge

6 “Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns.
7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands.
8 The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.”
9 Then the LORD said to Moses:
10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,
11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.
12 They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.
13 These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.
14 Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge.
15 These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

Numbers 35:6-15 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.

Cross References 9

  • 1. ver 11; Joshua 21:13; Joshua 20:7-9; Joshua 21:3,13
  • 2. Numbers 26:54; Numbers 33:54; Joshua 21:1-42
  • 3. Numbers 33:51; Deuteronomy 9:1; Joshua 1:2,11; Joshua 20:2
  • 4. ver 22-25
  • 5. S Exodus 21:13; Deuteronomy 19:1-13
  • 6. ver 19; Deuteronomy 19:6; Joshua 20:3; 2 Samuel 14:11
  • 7. ver 26,27,28
  • 8. ver 24,25
  • 9. ver 6,14
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