UST NUM Chapter 35

◄ NUM 35 ► ║ ═ ©

35 While the Israelites were in the flatlands that were part of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, Yahweh told Moses,2 “Tell the Israelites to set aside some of the cities that they will receive for the Levites to live in. They must also set aside the fields surrounding those cities for the Levites.3 The Levites will live in those cities. They will keep their farm animals, some of their possessions, and any other animals they have in the fields surrounding those cities.4 The fields surrounding the cities that the Israelites set aside for the Levites must be 460 meters wide when you measure from the city edges.5 On each of the four sides, the fields must be 920 meters wide when you measure along the city edge. The city itself must be in the center. That is the size of the fields surrounding each of the cities for the Levites.6 Six of the cities that the Israelites set aside for the Levites must be cities to which people can flee in order to be safe. If someone kills another person, then he or she can run to one of these cities and be safe. The Israelites must also set aside 42 more cities for the Levites.7 Altogether, the Israelites must set aside 48 cities for the Levites, including the fields surrounding them.8 Tribes with more land must set aside more cities, and tribes with less land must set aside fewer cities. The people from each tribe must set aside these cities for the Levites from among the cities in the land that they will receive.”

9 Yahweh told Moses,10 “Tell this to the Israelite people: They will go to Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River.11 When they do, they must choose certain cities to which people can flee in order to be safe. If someone kills another person accidentally, then he or she can run to one of those cities and be safe.12 When a person kills someone, a close relative of the dead person often seeks to kill that person to avenge his or her relative. If that person is in one of these cities, then the close relative may not kill him or her. Instead, with the Israelite community watching, the leaders must decide whether that person deserves to die.13 Six of the cities that they set apart for the Levites must be cities to which people can flee in order to be safe.14 Three of those cities must be on the east side of the Jordan River. The other three must be on the west side in Canaan. They will be cities to which people can flee in order to be safe.15 If anyone kills another person accidentally, then he or she can run to one of those six cities and be safe. That applies to Israelites, foreigners, and anyone who is living among them temporarily.16 Suppose that a person hits someone with an iron tool and kills him or her. In that case, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer.17 Suppose that a person is holding a stone that could kill a person. Suppose that he or she hits someone with it and kills him or her. In that case, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer.18 Suppose that a person is holding a wooden tool that could kill a person. Suppose that he or she hits someone with it and kills him or her. In that case, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer.19 It is the close relative of the dead person who must kill the murderer to avenge his or her relative. Whenever the close relative finds the murder, he or she must kill the murderer.20 Suppose that a person was angry with someone, shoved him or her, and killed him or her. Or suppose that the person intentionally threw something at him or her and killed him or her.21 Or, suppose that a person was opposing someone, hit him or her, and killed him or her. In all those cases, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer. It is the close relative of the dead person who must kill the murderer to avenge his or her relative whenever he or she finds the murderer.22 However, suppose that a person was not opposing someone but suddenly shoved him or her. Or suppose that the person accidentally threw a tool at him or her.23 Or suppose that the person dropped a stone that could kill a person on him or her without realizing that he or she was there. In each of those cases, suppose that the person was not opposing or trying to harm the other person, and yet he or she died.24 In each of those cases, the Israelite community must decide whether the person who killed someone is not a murderer or whether the close relative of the dead person should kill the person to avenge his or her relative. They must follow these instructions when they decide.25 The Israelite community must keep any person who unintentionally killed someone safe from the dead person’s close relative, who wants to kill that person to avenge his or her relative. The community must send that person back to the city where he or she ran to be safe. The person must live there until the high priest dies. That is the priest on whom someone poured the sacred oil.26 However, suppose that the person who unintentionally killed someone walks past the edges of the city where he or she ran to be safe.27 Then, suppose that the dead person’s close relative encounters the person who unintentionally killed someone outside the edges of that city and kills that person. In that case, the close relative is not guilty of murder.28 So, the person who unintentionally killed someone must live in the city where he or she ran to be safe until the high priest dies. Then, the person can go back to the land that belongs to him or her.

29 All the Israelites and their descendants must follow those rules wherever they live.30 Suppose that someone killed someone else and people testify that it was intentional. In that case, someone must execute the murderer. However, suppose that only one person testifies. In that case, no one can execute that person.31 The Israelites must not accept money in exchange for allowing a murderer, who deserves to die, to live. Instead, someone must certainly execute that murderer.32 As for someone who should run to one of those six cities to be safe, the Israelites must not accept money in exchange for allowing that person to go back to his or her own land before the high priest dies.33 When a person kills someone, it makes the land they live in impure. So, they must not make the land impure. The only way to make the land pure again is to kill the murderer.34 I am Yahweh. I am present with the Israelites in their land. So, they must not make the land they live in impure.”

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