Dividing the Land of Canaan |
Numbers 35:1-34 The Fourth Book of Moses Called Numbers |
The Lord [spoke] to Moses in the plains of Moab by [the] Jordan [River] near Jericho, saying, Command the children [people] of Israel, [so] they give [from] their inheritance to the Levites, cities to [live] in & [its] suburbs [around] them. |
The [Levites] shall [live] in the cities & [their] suburbs shall be for their [livestock,] their goods & all their animals.] The suburbs of the cities you shall give to the Levites, shall [be] from the wall of the city, outward 1,000 cubits [around it.] |
[On the outside] of the city, you shall measure out 2,000 cubits on the east side; on the south side; on the west side & on the north side & the city shall be in the [middle.] This shall be the cities’ suburbs [for] the [Levites.] |
You shall give 6 cities of refuge among the cities you give to the Levites. [These are appointed] for the manslayer to flee [there.] [Additionally,] you shall add 42 cities [to those.] You shall give the Levites [a total of] 48 cities & their suburbs. |
The cities that you give [to the Levites are from] the possession of the children [people] of Israel. [Those who] have [a larger possession] shall give [more cities.] [Those who have a smaller possession] shall give [fewer cities.] |
Everyone shall give cities to the Levites according to his inheritance, [that] he inherits. The Lord [spoke] to Moses, saying, Say to the children [people] of Israel, When you [go] over [the] Jordan [River] into the land of Canaan, then you shall appoint the cities of refuge for you. |
[So the person who killed a man accidentally may flee there.] They shall be cities for refuge from the avenger; [so] the [person who killed a man doesn’t] die, until he [stands] before the congregation in judgment. |
Of these cities that you give, you shall have 6 for refuge. You shall give 3 cities on this side of [of] Jordan & 3 cities in the land of Canaan, [that] shall be cities for refuge. These 6 cities shall be a refuge, for both the children [people] of Israel, the stranger & [those who temporarily stay with you.] |
[So] everyone [who kills] any person [accidentally] may flee there. [If the person who hits] him with an iron [object,] a big [rock,] or a hand weapon of wood & he [dies,] is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. |
The revenger of blood shall [kill] the murderer, when he meets [up with] him. If [out] of hatred [a person shoves] him, or [hurls something] at him, by laying [in] wait [to ambush him,] that he [dies,] or [with hostility] hits him with his hand & he dies, he shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer. |
The revenger of blood shall [kill] the murderer, when he meets [up with] him. But [if the person shoved] him suddenly without [hostility,] or [hurled] something upon him without [lying in wait,] or [threw any rock on him without seeing him] & he wasn’t his enemy & [didn’t seek to harm him:] |
Then, the congregation shall judge between the [person who killed another] & the revenger of blood, according to these judgments. The congregation shall deliver the [person who killed another from] the hand of the revenger of blood. |
The congregations shall restore the [person who killed another] to his refuge city [where] he [had] fled. [The person who killed another] shall [stay in that city until] the death of the high priest, anointed with holy oil. |
But if the [person who killed another] shall at any time come [outside of] the border of his refuge city, where he [had] fled & the revenger of blood [finds] him [outside] the refuge [city’s] borders & the revenger of blood kills [him,] he shall not be guilty [for shedding his] blood. |
Because [the person who killed another] should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest, when he [could have returned] to the land of his possession. |
These things shall be a [mandate] of judgment [for] you throughout all your generations [wherever you live.] [The person who kills anyone,] the murderer shall be put to death [by the testimony] of witnesses. |
[No one shall be put to death by the testimony of only 1 witness.] [Also,] you shall [not take any reward in exchange] for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death. He shall surely be put to death. |
You shall [not take any reward in exchange for letting someone who] fled to a refuge city, [so] he could [return to live] in the land [of his possession before] the death of the priest. |
So, you shall not [defile] the land where you are. For blood defiles the land. [That] land can't be cleansed [from] the blood that is shed [in it, except] by the blood of [the person who] shed it. |
Therefore, [don’t] defile the land which you shall inhabit & [where] I [live.] For I, the Lord, [live] among the children [people] of Israel. |