You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
Parallel translations
- WEB The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
- KJV And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
- ESV The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
- NKJV They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.
- NASB The cities shall serve you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who commits manslaughter does not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.
- NLT These 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.
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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The cities are to be a refuge from the avenger so the manslayer does not die before standing trial before the congregation. They guarantee a fair hearing rather than hasty vengeance.
Overview
By providing time for due process, the law restrained the avenger of blood and ensured guilt or innocence was rightly determined. This protected the accused from being killed before justice could be done. The provision reveals God's commitment to fair judgment, upholding both the value of life and the rule of law.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Josh 20:3–6so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
- Deut 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.
- Josh 20:9These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.
- 2 Sam 14:7Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.”
- Deut 19:11–12If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,
- Num 35:19The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.
- Num 35:24–27then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 35:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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