Numbers 35
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 35
The Levites’ Share. 1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the plain of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel to give cities to the Levites from the inheritance that they will possess. Also give the Levites pastures around the cities. 3 They are to have cities in which they can dwell as well as pastures for their cattle, their flocks, and all their other animals. 4 The pastures that you will give the Levites around the cities will extend one thousand cubits[a] from the city wall.
5 “Outside of the city, measure two thousand cubits on the east side, two thousand cubits on the south side, two thousand cubits on the west side, and two thousand cubits on the north side, with the city in the middle. This will be the pastures for the city.
6 “Six of the cities that you give to the Levites will be established as cities of refuge to which a person who has killed another can flee. In addition, there are to be another forty-two cities. 7 In all you will give the Levites forty-eight cities along with their pastures. 8 The cities that you will give the Levites from the possession of Israel will be given according to the inheritance that they have inherited. Those who have more will give more and those who have less will give less.”
Cities of Refuge. 9 The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 choose cities that will be your cities of refuge to which a person who has accidentally killed another person can flee. 12 These will be cities of refuge from the kinsman avenger[b] so that the killer will not die until he has received judgment before the assembly. 13 These six cities that you give will be your cities of refuge. 14 Give three cities across the Jordan and give three cities in the land of Canaan to be your cities of refuge. 15 These six cities will be a refuge for the people of Israel, for foreigners, and for foreigners dwelling among them, to which a person who has killed accidentally can flee.
16 Treatment of Murderers.“ ‘If someone strikes another with an iron object to kill him, then he is a murderer. The murderer will be put to death. 17 If someone strikes another with a stone in his hand to kill him, then he is a murderer. The murderer will be put to death. 18 If someone strikes another with a wooden object in his hand to kill him, then he is a murderer. The murderer will be put to death. 19 The kinsman avenger of blood will kill him. When he meets the murderer, he will put him to death. 20 If anyone pushes another person out of hatred or lays in wait and throws something at him in order to kill him, 21 or if with bitterness he strikes someone with his hand in order to kill him, then that person will be put to death, for he is a murderer. The kinsman avenger of blood will kill the murderer when he meets him.
22 “ ‘But if someone without bitterness pushes another person or throws something at him without his lying in wait, 23 or he has a deadly stone object and he does not see the other, but drops it on him causing him to die, and he was not an enemy nor was he seeking to harm the other person, 24 then the assembly will judge between the killer and the kinsman avenger of blood according to these ordinances: 25 the assembly will save the killer from the hands of the kinsman avenger of blood. The assembly will send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He will live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with holy oil.
26 “ ‘But if the killer at any time crosses over the boundary of the city of refuge to which he has fled, 27 and the kinsman avenger of blood finds him outside of the boundary of the city of refuge, and the kinsman avenger of blood kills the killer, he will not be considered to have blood guilt. 28 He should have remained in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. After the death of the high priest, the killer can return to the land of his possession. 29 These things will be a statute and an ordinance for you for all of your generations and in all of your dwellings.
30 “ ‘If a person kills another, the murderer will be put to death upon the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of a single witness. 31 You are not to accept a ransom for the murderer who is guilty of death; he is to be put to death. 32 You are not to take a ransom from someone who has fled to his city of refuge who wants to return to live in the land before the death of the priest.
33 “ ‘You are not to pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed upon it except through the blood of the person who shed it. 34 You are not to pollute the land in which you dwell, for I dwell in it; I, the Lord, dwell among the people of Israel.’ ”
Footnotes
- Numbers 35:4 Cubits: Hebrew for feet. A cubit was about a half-meter.
- Numbers 35:12 The avenger (Hebrew, goel) is the closest relative of the victim; it is up to him to see justice done (see v. 19; Gen 4:15; 9:6; Deut 19:12; 2 Sam 14:11). He is also the authorized protector of his relatives; in particular, he must prevent the alienation of their properties (see Lev 25:23-25; Ru 4:3ff). By extension, God will be called “the goel of Israel” (Ps 18:14; Isa 41:14; Jer 50:34). A goel is basically a protector.
Numbers 35
New King James Version
Cities for the Levites
35 And the Lord spoke to Moses in (A)the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying: 2 (B)“Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites (C)common-land around the cities. 3 They shall have the cities to dwell in; and their common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals. 4 The common-land of the cities which you will give the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around. 5 And you shall measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits. The city shall be in the middle. This shall belong to them as common-land for the cities.
6 “Now among the cities which you will give to the Levites you shall appoint (D)six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. And to these you shall add forty-two cities. 7 So all the cities you will give to the Levites shall be (E)forty-eight; these you shall give with their common-land. 8 And the cities which you will give shall be (F)from the possession of the children of Israel; (G)from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.”
Cities of Refuge(H)
9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: (I)‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then (J)you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there. 12 (K)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. 13 And of the cities which you give, you shall have (L)six cities of refuge. 14 (M)You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, (N)for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.
16 (O)‘But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he strikes him with a stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 (P)The[a] avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 (Q)If he pushes him out of hatred or, (R)while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies, 21 or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
22 ‘However, if he pushes him suddenly (S)without enmity, or throws anything at him without lying in wait, 23 or uses a stone, by which a man could die, throwing it at him without seeing him, so that he dies, while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm, 24 then (T)the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments. 25 So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and (U)he shall remain there until the death of the high priest (V)who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of [b]blood, 28 because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.
29 ‘And these things shall be (W)a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 30 Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the (X)testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. 31 Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. 32 And you shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest. 33 So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood (Y)defiles the land, and no [c]atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except (Z)by the blood of him who shed it. 34 Therefore (AA)do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for (AB)I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.’ ”
Footnotes
- Numbers 35:19 A family member who is to avenge the victim
- Numbers 35:27 Murder
- Numbers 35:33 Lit. covering
Bilang 35
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible)
Ang mga Bayan ng mga Levita
35 Sinabi ng Panginoon kay Moises doon sa kapatagan ng Moab sa tabi ng Jordan malapit sa Jerico, 2 “Sabihin mo sa mga Israelita na bigyan nila ang mga Levita ng mga bayan na titirhan ng mga ito mula sa mga lupaing matatanggap nila. 3 Sa ganitong paraan, may matitirhang bayan ang mga Levita at may pastulan para sa kanilang mga hayop. 4 Ang agwat ng pastulang inyong ibibigay sa palibot ng kanilang bayan ay mga 450 metro mula sa pader ng kanilang mga bayan. 5 Pagkatapos, sumukat kayo ng 900 metro sa bawat direksyon ng bayan – sa silangan, sa timog, sa kanluran at sa hilaga – kaya nasa gitna ang bayan nito. Ito ang pastulan para sa mas malaking mga bayan.
6 “Bigyan din ninyo ang mga Levita ng anim na bayan na magiging lungsod na tanggulan, kung saan makakatakas papunta roon ang taong makakapatay nang hindi sinasadya. Hindi ito kasama sa 42 bayan na inyong ibibigay sa kanila. 7 Kaya 48 lahat ang mga bayan na inyong ibibigay sa mga Levita kasama ang kanilang mga pastulan. 8 Manggagaling ang mga bayan na ito sa mga lupain ng mga lahi ng Israel. Ang lahi na may maraming parte ay magbibigay ng maraming bayan at ang lahi na may kaunting parte ay magbibigay ng kaunti.”
Ang Lungsod na Tanggulan(A)
9 Pagkatapos, sinabi ng Panginoon kay Moises, 10 “Sabihin mo sa mga Israelita na kapag tumawid na sila sa Jordan papunta sa Canaan, 11 pumili sila ng mga bayan na magiging lungsod na tanggulan kung saan makakatakas papunta roon ang taong makakapatay nang hindi sinasadya. 12 Mapoprotektahan siya ng lungsod na ito laban sa mga taong gustong gumanti sa kanya. Hindi siya dapat patayin hanggaʼt hindi pa siya nahahatulan sa harap ng kapulungan. 13 Ang anim na bayan na ito ang magiging lungsod ninyong tanggulan. 14 Ilagay ninyo sa silangan ng Jordan ang tatlong lungsod at tatlo sa Canaan. 15 Ang anim na bayan na ito ay magiging tanggulan hindi lang ng mga Israelita kundi pati ng mga dayuhan na naninirahan kasama ninyo para ang sinuman sa kanila na makapatay nang hindi sinasadya ay makakatakas papunta dito.
16 “Pero kung hinampas ng isang tao ang sinuman ng bakal at namatay ito, ituturing na kriminal ang nasabing tao at kailangang patayin din siya. 17 Kung binato ng isang tao ang sinuman at namatay ito, ituturing na kriminal ang nasabing tao at kailangang patayin din siya. 18 O halimbawa, hinampas ng kahoy ng isang tao ang sinuman at namatay ito, ituturing din na kriminal ang taong iyon, at kailangang patayin din siya. 19 Ang malapit na kamag-anak ng pinatay ang may karapatang pumatay sa kriminal. Papatayin niya ang kriminal kung siyaʼy makikita niya.
20 “Kung napatay ng isang tao dahil sa kanyang galit ang sinuman sa pamamagitan ng panunulak, o paghahagis ng kahit anong bagay, 21 o pagsuntok, ituturing na kriminal ang nasabing tao at kailangang patayin din siya. Ang malapit na kamag-anak ng napatay ang may karapatang pumatay sa kriminal. Papatayin niya ang kriminal kung siyaʼy makikita niya.
22 “Pero halimbawang ang isang taong walang sama ng loob ang nakapatay sa isang tao na nahagisan niya ng kahit anong bagay o natulak na hindi sinasadya, 23 o nahulugan niya ng bato nang hindi niya nakikita, at dahil nga napatay niya ang tao, kahit hindi niya kaaway, at hindi niya sinasadya ang pagkakapatay sa kanya, 24 dadalhin pa rin siya sa kapulungan kasama ng taong gustong maghiganti sa kanya, at hahatulan siya ayon sa mga tuntuning ito. 25 Kung mapatunayan na hindi niya sinasadya ang pagpatay, kailangang proteksyunan ng sambayanan ang taong nakapatay laban sa mga tao na gustong maghiganti sa kanya, at ibabalik siya sa lungsod na tanggulan, kung saan siya tumakas. Kailangang magpaiwan siya roon hanggang hindi pa namamatay ang punong pari na itinalaga sa paglilingkod.[a]
26 “Pero kapag lumabas sa lungsod na tanggulan ang nakapatay 27 at makita siya ng taong gustong gumanti sa kanya, maaari siyang patayin ng taong iyon. Walang pananagutan ang taong nakapatay sa kanya. 28 Kaya dapat na magpaiwan ang taong nakapatay sa lungsod na tanggulan hanggang hindi pa namamatay ang punong pari, at pagkatapos ay makakauwi na siya sa kanila.
29 “Ito ang mga tuntuning dapat ninyong sundin hanggang sa susunod pang mga henerasyon, kahit saan kayo manirahan.
30 “Ang sinumang pumatay sa kanyang kapwa ay kailangang patayin, pero kailangang may mga saksi na magpapatotoo na siyaʼy nakapatay. Kung isang saksi lang ang magpapatotoo, hindi papatayin ang nasabing tao.
31 “Huwag kayong tatanggap ng bayad para sa buhay ng isang kriminal. Kailangang patayin siya. 32 Huwag din kayong tatanggap ng bayad para sa buhay ng taong tumakas sa lungsod na tanggulan upang makabalik siya sa kanyang lugar bago mamatay ang punong pari. 33 Sa pamamagitan nito, maiiwasan ang pagdanak ng dugo sa lupaing inyong tinitirhan. Dahil ang pagpatay ay makakapagparumi sa lupain na inyong tinitirhan at walang makapaglilinis nito maliban sa dugo ng taong nakapatay. 34 Kaya huwag ninyong dudungisan ang lupaing inyong tinitirhan, dahil ako mismo ang Panginoon, ay naninirahan kasama ninyong mga Israelita.”
Footnotes
- 35:25 itinalaga sa paglilingkod: sa literal, pinahiran ng banal na langis.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 by Biblica, Inc. ®