Numbers 35

1 The Lord spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan opposite Jericho. He told him,

And the Lord spake vnto Moses in the plaine of Moab by Iorden, toward Iericho, saying,

2 “Order the Israelites to provide from their land allocation towns for the Levites to live in and pastures around the towns.

Commande ye children of Israel, that they giue vnto the Leuites of the inheritace of their possession, cities to dwell in: yee shall giue also vnto the Leuites the suburbes of the cities round about them.

3 The towns are for them to live in, and the pastures will be for their herds and their flocks—for all their livestock.

So they shall haue the cities to dwell in, and their suburbes shall be for their cattell, and for their substance, and for all their beasts.

4 The pastures around the towns you give to the Levites are to extend out from the wall a thousand cubits on all sides.

And the suburbes of the cities, which ye shall giue vnto the Leuites, from the wall of the citie outward, shalbe a thousand cubites round about.

5 Measure two thousand cubits outside the town on the east, two thousand on the south, two thousand on the west, and two thousand on the north, with the town in the middle. These areas will be their pastures around the towns.

And yee shall measure without the citie of the Eastside, two thousand cubites: and of the Southside, two thousand cubites: and of the Westside, two thousand cubites: and of ye Northside, two thousand cubites: and the citie shalbe in ye middes. this shalbe the measure of the suburbes of their cities.

6 Six of the towns you give the Levites are to be sanctuary towns, where a person who kills someone can run for protection. As well as these towns, give the Levites forty-two more.

And of the cities which yee shall giue vnto the Leuites, there shalbe sixe cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint, that he which killeth, may flee thither: and to them yee shall adde two and fourtie cities more.

7 The total number of towns you are to give the Levites is forty-eight, along with their pastures.

All the cities which yee shall giue to the Leuites, shalbe eight and fourtie cities: them shall ye giue with their suburbes.

8 The towns that you allocate to be given to the Levites from the territory of the Israelites will be more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one. The number will be in proportion to the size of the land allocation of each tribe.”

And concerning the cities which yee shall giue, of the possession of the children of Israel: of many ye shall take more, and of few ye shall take lesse: euery one shall giue of his cities vnto the Leuites, according to his inheritance, which hee inheriteth.

9 The Lord told Moses,

And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘When you cross over the Jordan into Canaan,

Speake vnto the children of Israel, and say vnto them, When ye be come ouer Iorden into the land of Canaan,

11 choose towns as your sanctuary towns, so a person who kills someone by mistake may run there.

Ye shall appoint you cities, to bee cities of refuge for you, that the slayer, which slayeth any person vnwares, may flee thither.

12 These towns will be for you places of sanctuary from those seeking revenge, so that the killer will not die until they are tried in court.

And these cities shalbe for you a refuge from the auenger, that he which killeth, die not, vntill he stand before the Congregation in iudgement.

13 The towns you choose will be your six sanctuary towns.

And of the cities which ye shall giue, sixe cities shall ye haue for refuge.

14 Choose three cities on the other side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge.

Ye shall appoint three on this side Iorden, and ye shall appoint three cities in the lande of Canaan which shalbe cities of refuge.

15 These six cities will be places of sanctuary for the Israelites and for foreigners or settlers among them, so that anyone who kills a person by mistake may run there.

These six cities shalbe a refuge for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for him that dwelleth among you, that euery one which killeth any person vnwares, may flee thither.

16 But if anyone deliberately hits someone with something made of iron and kills them, that person is a murderer and must be executed.

And if one smite another with an instrument of yron that hee die, hee is a murtherer, and the murtherer shall die the death.

17 If anyone picks up something made of stone that could be used as a weapon and hits someone with it, and kills them, that person is a murderer and must be executed.

Also if hee smite him by casting a stone, wherewith hee may be slaine, and he die, hee is a murtherer, and the murtherer shall die the death.

18 If anyone picks up something made of wood that could be used as a weapon and hits someone with it, and kills them, that person is a murderer and must be executed.

Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may be slaine, if he die, he is a murtherer, and the murtherer shall die the death.

19 The avenger is to execute the murderer. When he finds the murderer, he is to kill him.

The reuenger of the blood himselfe shall slay the murtherer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

20 Similarly, if anyone hates someone and knocks them down or deliberately throws something at them, and they're killed;

But if hee thrust him of hate, or hurle at him by laying of wait, that he die,

21 or if someone hits another with his hand and they die, the one who hit him must be executed because he is a murderer. When the avenger finds the murderer, he is to kill him.

Or smite him through enimitie with his hand, that he die, he that smote him shall die ye death: for hee is a murtherer: the reuenger of the blood shall slay the murtherer when he meeteth him.

22 But if anyone knocks someone else down without meaning to and without hating them, or throws something at them not meaning to hurt them,

But if he pusshed him vnaduisedly, and not of hatred, or cast vpon him any thing, without laying of waite,

23 or carelessly drops a heavy stone that kills them, but not as an enemy or intending to harm them,

Or any stone (whereby he might be slaine) and sawe him not, or caused it to fall vpon him, and he die, and was not his enemie, neither sought him any harme,

24 then the community must judge between the killer and the avenger following these regulations.

Then the Congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer and the auenger of blood according to these lawes.

25 The court is to protect the killer from being attacked by the avenger and must return him to the sanctuary town that he ran to, and he must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with holy oil.

And the Congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hande of the auenger of blood, and the Congregation shall restore him vnto the citie of his refuge, whither hee was fled: and hee shall abide there vnto the death of the hie Priest, which is anointed with the holy oyle.

26 But if the killer ever leaves the limits of sanctuary town where they ran to,

But if the slayer come without the borders of the citie of his refuge, whither he was fled,

27 and the avenger finds him them outside his sanctuary town and kills him, then the avenger will not be guilty of murder,

And the reuenger of blood finde him without the borders of the citie of his refuge, and the reueger of blood slay ye murtherer, he shalbe giltles,

28 because the killer has to stay in his sanctuary town until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest are they allowed to return to the land they own.

Because he should haue remained in the citie of his refuge, vntill the death of the hie Priest: and after the death of the hie Priest, the slayer shall returne vnto the land of his possession.

29 These regulations apply to all future generations wherever you live.

So these thinges shall be a lawe of iudgement vnto you, throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30 If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be executed based on the evidence given by witnesses, plural. No one is to be executed based on the evidence given by a single witness.

Whosoeuer killeth any person, the Iudge shall slay the murtherer, through witnesses: but one witnesse shall not testifie against a person to cause him to die.

31 You are not to accept payment instead of executing a murderer who has been found guilty—they must be executed.

Moreouer ye shall take no recompense for the life of the murtherer, which is worthy to die: but he shalbe put to death.

32 Also you are not allowed to accept payment for a person who runs to a sanctuary town and permit them to return and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

Also ye shall take no recompense for him that is fled to the citie of his refuge, that he should come againe, and dwell in the lande, before the death of the hie Priest.

33 Don't pollute the land where you live because bloodshed pollutes the land, and the land where blood is shed can't be purified except by the blood of the one who shed it.

So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye shall dwell: for blood defileth the land: and the land cannot be clensed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

34 Don't make the land impure where you live because I live there too. I am the Lord, and I live with the Israelites.”

Defile not therefore the lande which yee shall inhabite, For I dwell in the middes thereof: for I the Lord dwel among the children of Israel.