Numbers 35

1 Again the LORD spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho:

Yahweh told this to Moses/me [while the Israeli people were] on the plain in the Moab region near the Jordan [River], across from Jericho:

2 “Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities.

“Tell the Israeli people that from the land that they will receive, they must give to the descendants of Levi some cities in which they can live. They must also give them some land around these cities.

3 The cities will be for them to live in, and the pasturelands will be for their herds, their flocks, and all their other livestock.

Those will be for the descendants of Levi to live in, and around the cities will be land for their cattle and flocks of sheep and goats and other animals.

4 The pasturelands around the cities you are to give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits from the wall on every side.

“The land that you give them for their animals must extend out for (1,500 feet/450 meters) from the walls of the cities.

5 You are also to measure two thousand cubits outside the city on the east, two thousand on the south, two thousand on the west, and two thousand on the north, with the city in the center. These areas will serve as larger pasturelands for the cities.

Also measure (3,000 feet/900 meters) in each direction out from the walls of each city. That additional land will be land for their animals outside the walls of the cities.”

6 Six of the cities you give the Levites are to be appointed as cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. In addition to these, give the Levites forty-two other cities.

“Six of the cities that you give to the descendants of Levi will be cities to which people [can run] to be safe. If someone [accidentally] kills someone else, the one who killed that person may run to one of those cities to be safe.

7 The total number of cities you give the Levites will be forty-eight, with their corresponding pasturelands.

You must also give to the descendants of Levi 42 other cities and the land around those cities, for their animals,

8 The cities that you apportion from the territory of the Israelites should be given to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one.”

The Israeli tribes that have the most people must give them more cities than the tribes that have fewer people give. Each tribe must give some of its cities to the descendants of Levi, but the tribes that have more land must give more cities, and the tribes that have less land will give fewer cities.”

9 Then the LORD said to Moses,

Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

“Tell this to the Israeli people: When you cross the Jordan [River] and enter the Canaan [region],

11 designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there.

you must choose some cities to which people can run to be safe/protected. If someone kills another person (accidentally/without planning to do that), the one who killed that person may run to one of those cities and be safe.

12 You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.

One of the relatives of the person who was killed may think he must avenge his relative’s death [by killing the murderer]. But in that city, the killer will be safe [because the people in that city would kill those relatives if they tried to get revenge there]. The man who killed someone accidentally [must] be put on trial in a court.

13 The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge.

You must set apart six cities to be cities to which someone who killed another person accidentally may run and be safe.

14 Select three cities across the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan as cities of refuge.

There must be three of those cities on the east side of the Jordan [River] and three that will be [on the west side], in the Canaan region.

15 These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or stranger among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

Those six cities will be cities where Israeli people may run to and be safe, and where foreigners and other people who are living among you can also run to and be safe. Any of those people who accidentally kills someone may run to one of those cities [and be safe/protected there].

16 If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

“But [you must consider that] anyone who kills another person with an iron weapon or with a big rock or with a piece of wood, is a murderer, and the one who killed the other person must be executed.

17 Or if anyone has in his hand a stone of deadly size, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

18 If anyone has in his hand a deadly object of wood, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

19 The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.

A relative of the person who was murdered must be the one who executes the murderer as soon as he finds him.

20 Likewise, if anyone maliciously pushes another or intentionally throws an object at him and kills him,

If someone shoves another person [over a cliff] or throws something at another person

21 or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood finds the murderer, he is to kill him.

or hits that person with his hand/fist and causes that person to die, if he did it because he hated that person, then you must consider that he is a murderer, and must be executed. A relative of the person who was killed must be the one who executes the murderer as soon as he finds him.

22 But if anyone pushes a person suddenly, without hostility, or throws an object at him unintentionally,

“But someone might accidentally shove someone else, or accidentally throw something at another person and hit him, not because he hates that person.

23 or without looking drops a heavy stone that kills him, but he was not an enemy and did not intend to harm him,

Or he might drop a rock on someone that he did not see. If the one who does that does not plan to hurt anyone and does not hate the person that was killed,

24 then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

the people of that city must decide whether the relative of the dead person [has the right to get revenge], or whether the one who killed the other person [truly did it (accidentally/without planning to do it)].

25 The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

[If they decide that the killer planned to kill the other person, they must not allow him to stay in their city. But if they decide that it was done accidentally], they must protect the killer from being killed by the dead person’s relative. They must send the killer to one of the cities where he will be safe/protected, and allow him to stay there until the Supreme Priest dies. [After that, the killer may go back to his home, because the dead person’s relative no longer has the right to get revenge].

26 But if the manslayer ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he fled

“But [while the Supreme Priest is still living], the person who is in that safe city must not leave that city.

27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside of his city of refuge and kills him, then the avenger will not be guilty of bloodshed

If he goes outside the city, and if a relative of the dead person finds him, that relative is permitted to kill that person, [and people will not consider that the relative is guilty of murder.]

28 because the manslayer must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest may he return to the land he owns.

The killer must stay in that city where he will be safe/protected until the Supreme Priest dies. [He will be safe from revenge after that, because the death of the Supreme Priest will be considered to be a sacrifice to atone for that murder]. After that, the killer may return to his home.

29 This will be a statutory ordinance for you for the generations to come, wherever you live.

“You must always obey those regulations, wherever you live.

30 If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.

“If someone [is accused of] killing another person, the one who is accused may be executed only if there are people who saw him do it. There must be more than one witness; no one is permitted to be executed if there was only one (witness/person who saw him do it).

31 You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death.

“If there is a murderer who truly should be executed, do not [spare his life by] accepting (a ransom/money for him not to be killed). He must be executed.

32 Nor should you accept a ransom for the person who flees to a city of refuge and allow him to return and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.

“If someone has run to a city where he will be safe/protected, do not allow him to give you money in order that you will permit him to return to his home before the Supreme Priest dies.

33 Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.

“You must execute people who truly murder others. If you did not do that, you would be causing the people who live in the land to become unacceptable to me. Anyone who deliberately kills an innocent person must be executed.

34 Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell. For I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.”

I am Yahweh, and I live among you Israelis, so do not spoil/pollute the land by allowing people to murder others without being punished.”