Numbers 35

1 And he spoke Yahweh to Moses in [the] plains of Moab at [the] Jordan of Jericho saying.

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] people of Israel and they will give to the Levites some of [the] inheritance of possession their cities to dwell in and pasture land for the cities around them you will give to the Levites.

“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 And they will belong the cities to them to dwell in and pasture lands their they will be for cattle their and for property their and for every animal their.

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 And [the] pasture lands of the cities which you will give to the Levites [will be] from [the] wall of the city and [the] outside towards one thousand cubit[s] all around.

“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 And you will measure from [the] outside of the city [the] side of east-ward two thousand by the cubit and [the] side of [the] south two thousand by the cubit and [the] side of [the] west - two thousand by the cubit and [the] side of [the] north two thousand by the cubit and the city [will be] in the middle this it will belong to them [the] pasture lands of 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 And the cities which you will give to the Levites [the] six [the] cities of refuge which you will give to flee there towards the killer and to them you will give forty and two citi[es].

“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 All the cities which you will give to the Levites [will be] forty and eight citi[es] them and pasture lands their.

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

8 And the cities which you will give from [the] possession of [the] people of Israel from with the many you will increase and from with the few you will decrease each one according to [the] mouth of inheritance its which they will inherit it will give some of cities its to the Levites.

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 And he spoke Yahweh to Moses saying.

Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

10 Speak to [the] people of Israel and you will say to them if you [are] about to pass over the Jordan [the] land of towards Canaan.

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

11 And you will make happen to yourselves cities cities of refuge they will be for you and he will flee there towards a killer [who] has struck down a person by inadvertence.

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 And they will become for you the cities a refuge from an avenger and not he will die the killer until stands he before the congregation for judgment.

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 And the cities which you will give six cities of refuge they will be for you.

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

14 - three Cities you will give from [the] other side of the Jordan and three cities you will give in [the] land of Canaan cities of refuge they will be.

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 For [the] people of Israel and for the sojourner and for the resident alien in midst of them they will become [the] six the cities these a refuge to flee there towards any [one who] strikes down a person by inadvertence.

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 And if with an instrument of iron - he struck down him and he died [is] a killer he certainly he will be put to death the killer.

“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 And if with a stone of hand which someone will die by it he struck down him and he died [is] a killer he certainly he will be put to death the killer.

18 Or with an instrument of wood of hand which someone will die by it he struck down him and he died [is] a killer he certainly he will be put to death the killer.

19 [the] avenger of Blood he he will put to death the killer when meets he him he he will put to death him.

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

20 And if in hatred he will push him or he threw on him with lying in wait and he died.

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

21 Or in enmity he struck down him with hand his and he died certainly he will be put to death the [one who] struck [is] a killer he [the] avenger of blood he will put to death the killer when meets he 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 And if in an instant with not enmity he pushed him or he threw on him any weapon with not lying in wait.

“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 with any stone which someone will die by it with not seeing [him] and he made [it] fall on him and he died and he not [was] an enemy of him and not [was] seeking harm his.

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 And they will judge the congregation between the [one who] struck and between [the] avenger of blood on the judgments these.

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 And they will deliver the congregation the killer from [the] hand of [the] avenger of blood and they will return him the congregation to [the] city of refuge his where he had fled there towards and he will dwell in it until [the] death of the priest great whom someone had anointed him with [the] oil of holiness.

[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 And if ever he will go out the killer [the] border of [the] city of refuge his where he will flee there towards.

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

27 And he will find him [the] avenger of blood from [the] outside of [the] border of [the] city of refuge his and he will kill [the] avenger of blood the killer not [will belong] to him blood.

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 For in [the] city of refuge his he will remain until [the] death of the priest great and after [the] death of the priest great he will return the killer to [the] land of possession his.

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 And they will become these [things] for you a statute of judgment to generations your in all dwelling places your.

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

30 Any [one who] strikes down a person to [the] mouth of witnesses someone will kill the killer and a witness one not he will testify against anyone to die.

“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 And not you will take a ransom for [the] life of a killer who he [is] guilty to die for certainly he will 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 And not you will take a ransom to flee to [the] city of refuge his to return to dwell in the land until [the] death of the 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 And not you will pollute the land which you [are] in it for blood it it pollutes the land and for the land not it will be atoned to the blood which it was shed in it that 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 And not you will make unclean the land which you [are] dwelling in it which I [am] dwelling in [the] midst of it for I Yahweh [am] dwelling in among [the] people of Israel.

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.”