Numbers Chapter 35

Numbers Chapter 35
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the
plain of Moab by
Jordan, toward Jericho, saying,
2 Command the children of Israel, that
they give unto the Levites of the
inheritance of their possession, cities to
dwell in: ye shall give also unto the
Levites the suburbs of the cities round
about them.
3 So they shall have the cities to dwell
in, and their suburbs shall be for their
cattle, and for their substance, and for all
their beasts.
4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye
shall give unto the Levites, from the wall
of the city outward, shall be a thousand
cubits round about. 5 And ye shall
measure without the city of the east side,
two thousand cubits: and of the south
side, two thousand cubits: and of the
west side, two thousand cubits: and of
the north side, two thousand cubits: and
the city shall be in the midst. This shall
be the measure of the suburbs of their
cities. 6 And of the cities which ye shall
give unto the Levites, there shall be six
cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint,
that he which killeth, may flee thither:
and to them ye shall add two and forty
cities more.
7 All the cities which ye shall give to the
Levites, shall be eight and forty cities:
them shall ye give with their suburbs.
8 And concerning the cities which ye
shall give, of the possession of the
children of Israel: of many ye shall take
more, and of few ye shall take less:
every one shall give of his cities unto the
Levites, according to his inheritance,
which he inheriteth.
9 And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them, When ye be come over
Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11 Ye shall appoint you cities, to be
cities of refuge for you that the slayer,
which slayeth any person unawares, may
flee thither.
12 And these cities shall be for you a
refuge from the avenger, that he which
killeth, die not, until he stand before the
congregation in judgment. 13 And of the
cities which ye shall give, six cities
shall ye have for refuge. 14 Ye shall
appoint three on this side Jordan, and ye
shall appoint three cities in the land of
Canaan which shall be cities of refuge.
15 These six cities shall be a refuge for
the children of Israel, and for the
stranger, and for him that dwelleth
among you, that every one which killeth
any person unawares, may flee thither.
16 And if one smite another with an
instrument of iron that he die, he is a
murderer, and the murderer shall die the
death.
17 Also if he smite him by casting a
stone, wherewith he may be slain, and he
die, he is a murderer, and the murderer
shall die the death. 18 Or if he smite him
with an hand weapon of wood,
wherewith he may be slain, if he die, he
is a murderer, and the murderer shall die
the death. 19 The revenger of the blood
himself shall slay the murderer: when he
meeteth him, he shall slay him.
20 But if he thrust him of hate, or hurl at
him by laying of wait, that he die, 21 Or
smite him through enmity with his hand,
that he die, he that smote him shall die
the death: for he is a murderer: the
revenger of the blood shall slay the
murderer when he meeteth him.
22 But if he pushed him unadvisedly,
and not of hatred, or cast upon him
anything, without laying of wait,
23 Or any stone (whereby he might be
slain) and saw him not, or caused it to
fall upon him, and he die, and was not
his enemy, neither sought him any harm,
24 Then the congregation shall judge
between the slayer and the avenger of
blood according to these laws.
25 And the congregation shall deliver
the slayer out of the hand of the avenger
of blood, and the congregation shall
restore him unto the city of his refuge,
whither he was fled: and he shall abide
there unto the death of the high priest,
which is anointed with the holy oil.
26 But if the slayer come without the
borders of the city of his refuge, whither
he was fled,
27 And the revenger of blood find him
without the borders of the city of his
refuge, and the revenger of blood slay
the murderer, he shall be guiltless, 28
Because he should have remained in the
city of his refuge, until the death of the
high priest: and after the death of the
high priest, the slayer shall return unto
the land of his possession.
29 So these things shall be a law of
judgment unto you, throughout your
generations in all your dwellings.
30 Whosoever killeth any person, the
judge shall slay the murderer, through
witnesses: but one witness shall not
testify against a person to cause him to
die.
31 Moreover ye shall take no
recompense for the life of the murderer,
which is worthy to die: but he shall be
put to death.
32 Also ye shall take no recompense for
him that is fled to the city of his refuge,
that he should come again, and dwell in
the land, before the death of the high
priest.
33 So ye shall not pollute the land
wherein ye shall dwell: for blood
defileth the land: and the land cannot be
cleansed of the blood that is shed
therein, but by the blood of him that shed
it.
34 Defile not therefore the land which ye
shall inhabit, for I dwell in the midst
thereof: for I the Lord dwell among the
children of Israel.