Numbers 35 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Towns for the Levites

Num 35:1While Israel was camped beside the Jordan on the plains of Moab across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses,

Num 35:2“Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites from their property certain towns to live in, along with the surrounding pasturelands.

Num 35:3

Num 35:3These towns will be for the Levites to live in, and the surrounding lands will provide pasture for their cattle, flocks, and other livestock.

Num 35:4

Num 35:4The pastureland assigned to the Levites around these towns will extend 1,500 feet[fn] from the town walls in every direction.

Num 35:5

Num 35:5Measure off 3,000 feet[fn] outside the town walls in every direction—east, south, west, north—with the town at the center. This area will serve as the larger pastureland for the towns.

Num 35:6

Num 35:6“Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can flee for safety. In addition, give them forty-two other towns.

Num 35:7

Num 35:7In all, forty-eight towns with the surrounding pastureland will be given to the Levites.

Num 35:8

Num 35:8These towns will come from the property of the people of Israel. The larger tribes will give more towns to the Levites, while the smaller tribes will give fewer. Each tribe will give property in proportion to the size of its land.”

Cities of Refuge

(Deu 19:1–13; Jos 20:1–9 )

Num 35:9

Num 35:9The LORD said to Moses,

Num 35:10

Num 35:10“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.
“When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

Num 35:11

Num 35:11designate cities of refuge to which people can flee if they have killed someone accidentally.

Num 35:12

Num 35:12These cities will be places of protection from a dead person’s relatives who want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be put to death before being tried by the community.

Num 35:13

Num 35:13Designate six cities of refuge for yourselves,

Num 35:14

Num 35:14three on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west in the land of Canaan.

Num 35:15

Num 35:15These cities are for the protection of Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may flee there for safety.

Num 35:16

Num 35:16“But if someone strikes and kills another person with a piece of iron, it is murder, and the murderer must be executed.

Num 35:17

Num 35:17Or if someone with a stone in his hand strikes and kills another person, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death.

Num 35:18

Num 35:18Or if someone strikes and kills another person with a wooden object, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death.

Num 35:19

Num 35:19The victim’s nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer to death.

Num 35:20

Num 35:20So if someone hates another person and pushes him or throws a dangerous object at him and he dies, it is murder.

Num 35:21

Num 35:21Or if someone hates another person and hits him with a fist and he dies, it is murder. In such cases, the avenger must put the murderer to death when they meet.

Num 35:22

Num 35:22“But suppose someone pushes another person without having shown previous hostility, or throws something that unintentionally hits another person,

Num 35:23

Num 35:23or accidentally drops a huge stone on someone, though they were not enemies, and the person dies.

Num 35:24

Num 35:24If this should happen, the community must follow these regulations in making a judgment between the slayer and the avenger, the victim’s nearest relative:

Num 35:25

Num 35:25The community must protect the slayer from the avenger and must escort the slayer back to live in the city of refuge to which he fled. There he must remain until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the sacred oil.

Num 35:26

Num 35:26“But if the slayer ever leaves the limits of the city of refuge,

Num 35:27

Num 35:27and the avenger finds him outside the city and kills him, it will not be considered murder.

Num 35:28

Num 35:28The slayer should have stayed inside the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the slayer may return to his own property.

Num 35:29

Num 35:29These are legal requirements for you to observe from generation to generation, wherever you may live.

Num 35:30

Num 35:30“All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

Num 35:31

Num 35:31Also, you must never accept a ransom payment for the life of someone judged guilty of murder and subject to execution; murderers must always be put to death.

Num 35:32

Num 35:32And never accept a ransom payment from someone who has fled to a city of refuge, allowing a slayer to return to his property before the death of the high priest.

Num 35:33

Num 35:33This will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land. And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder.[fn]

Num 35:34

Num 35:34You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the LORD, who lives among the people of Israel.”