Numbers 35

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

2 'Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and open land round about the cities shall ye give unto the Levites.

“Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites cities to dwell in out of their inheritance. You shall give pasture lands for the cities around them to the Levites.

3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and their open land shall be for their cattle, and for their substance, and for all their beasts.

They shall have the cities to dwell in. Their pasture lands shall be for their livestock, and for their possessions, and for all their animals.

4 And the open land about the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.

“The pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits around it.

5 And ye shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the open land about the cities.

You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall be the pasture lands of their cities.

6 And the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which ye shall give for the manslayer to flee thither; and beside them ye shall give forty and two cities.

“The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the man slayer to flee to. Besides them you shall give forty-two cities.

7 All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with the open land about them.

All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities together with their pasture lands.

8 And concerning the cities which ye shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many ye shall take many, and from the few ye shall take few; each tribe according to its inheritance which it inheriteth shall give of its cities unto the Levites.'

Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many, and from the few you shall take few. Everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give some of his cities to the Levites.”

9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

10 'Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11 then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person through error may flee thither.

then you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

12 And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment.

The cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

13 And as to the cities which ye shall give, there shall be for you six cities of refuge.

The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.

14 Ye shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge.

You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and you shall give three cities in the land of Canaan. They shall be cities of refuge.

15 For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the settler among them, shall these six cities be for refuge, that every one that killeth any person through error may flee thither.

These six cities shall be refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreigner living among them, that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

16 But if he smote him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

“‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

17 And if he smote him with a stone in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.

19 The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death.

The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death. When he meets him, he shall put him to death.

20 And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him any thing, lying in wait, so that he died;

If he shoved him out of hatred, or hurled something at him while lying in wait, so that he died,

21 or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death: he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meeteth him.

or in hostility struck him with his hand, so that he died, he who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him any thing without lying in wait,

“‘But if he shoved him suddenly without hostility, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait,

23 or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;

or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him so that he died, and he was not his enemy and not seeking his harm,

24 then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances;

then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

25 and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled; and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

The congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he had fled. He shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

26 But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth;

“‘But if the man slayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge where he flees,

27 and the avenger of blood find him without the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slay the manslayer; there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him;

and the avenger of blood finds him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the man slayer, he shall not be guilty of blood,

28 because he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return into the land of his possession.

because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the man slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

29 And these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

“‘These things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

“‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain based on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify alone against any person so that he dies.

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

“‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death. He shall surely be put to death.

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

“‘You shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.

33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood, it polluteth the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

“‘So you shall not pollute the land where you live; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it.

34 And thou shalt not defile the land which ye inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the children of Israel.'

You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, where I dwell; for I, Yahweh, dwell among the children of Israel.’”