Numbers Chapter 35
Towns for the Levites
1 In the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses,
2“Tell Israel to give the Levites towns to live in, 3 along with pastureland for their cattle, herds, and animals. 4 The pastures will extend 1500ft out from the wall all around the city, 5 a 3,000ft diameter of pastureland. 6 Give the Levites 6 cities as refuge for a person to flee to that’s killed someone accidentally. 7 Give them 42 other towns with their pastures to make 48 total. 8 The towns you give them will be in proportion to the number of towns each tribe inherits.”
Num 35:1-8
Cities of Refuge
9-10 The LORD told Moses to say to Israel,
“When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 11 identify cities of refuge a person can flee to from killing someone accidentally. 12-13 The 6 cities will serve as refuges from an avenger till the slayer can stand public trial: 14 3 cities beyond the Jordan and three in Canaan. 15 They’ll serve Israelites, foreigners, and people living temporarily in Israel.
Num 35:9-15
16 “If a slayer kills someone with an iron instrument, it’s murder; execute the slayer. 17 The same applies if the weapon is stone 18 or wood. 19 The avenger is to execute the murderer on the spot when they meet. 20 If one person pushes another in hate, throws something from an ambush, 21 or hits barehanded with enmity and kills the other, it’s murder. The avenger is to execute the murderer on the spot when they meet.
Num 35:16-21
22 “One person might push someone suddenly without enmity or throw something 23 like a stone and hit the other accidentally. 24 The community will decide between the slayer and the avenger by these ordinances. 25 They’ll protect the slayer from the avenger by returning the slayer to the city of refuge till the high priest dies. 26 If the slayer ventures outside the city, 27 the avenger is not considered a murderer. 28 The slayer should’ve stayed in the city till the high priest died. Then the slayer could have gone home.
Num 35:22-28
29 “These are permanent statutes wherever you live. 30 On the testimony of two or more witnesses, execute whoever commits murder. One witness isn’t enough. 31 Don’t take a ransom in place of execution 32 or for someone that flees to a city of refuge so they can go home early before the high priest dies. 33 Don’t defile the land you live in; blood defiles it. Don’t atone for land defiled by blood except by the blood of the one that shed it. 34 Don’t defile the land you’re living in because I’m living in it with you.” Num 35:29-34