Números 35
La Palabra (Hispanoamérica)
Ciudades levíticas
35 El Señor se dirigió a Moisés en las estepas de Moab, junto al Jordán, a la altura de Jericó, y le dijo:
2 — Manda a los israelitas que, de sus posesiones hereditarias, asignen a los levitas ciudades donde puedan habitar, junto con terrenos de pastoreo alrededor de ellas. 3 Ellos habitarán en esas ciudades, mientras sus ganados y el resto de sus animales pastarán en los respectivos terrenos de pastoreo. 4 El terreno de pastoreo de las ciudades que asignarán a los levitas tendrá una extensión de medio kilómetro alrededor de cada ciudad a partir de su muralla. 5 Medirán, a partir del exterior de la ciudad, un kilómetro por cada uno de los lados —este, sur, oeste y norte— quedando la ciudad en el centro; y este será el terreno que tendrán las ciudades como lugar de pastoreo.
6 Entre las ciudades que asignarán a los levitas habrá seis ciudades de asilo donde podrán refugiarse los homicidas; a ellas añadirán otras cuarenta y dos ciudades. 7 Serán, pues, cuarenta y ocho las ciudades que asignarán a los levitas, con sus correspondientes terrenos de pastoreo. 8 Al asignar a los levitas ciudades pertenecientes al patrimonio de los otros israelitas, tomarán más de la tribu que más tenga, y menos de la que menos tenga; así cada tribu cederá de sus ciudades a los levitas en proporción a la heredad que haya recibido.
Ciudades de refugio
9 El Señor se dirigió a Moisés y le dijo:
10 — Di a los israelitas: Cuando hayan cruzado el Jordán y entrado en el país de Canaán, 11 establecerán unas ciudades que les sirvan como lugares de refugio, donde pueda encontrar asilo el homicida que haya matado a alguien sin intención. 12 Estas ciudades les servirán como refugio frente al vengador de la sangre, para que no muera el homicida hasta que comparezca en juicio delante de la comunidad.
13 Las ciudades que se reservarán como ciudades de refugio serán seis: 14 tres ciudades al otro lado del Jordán, y otras tres en el país de Canaán; ellas servirán como ciudades de refugio. 15 Estas seis ciudades servirán de asilo al que haya matado a alguien sin intención de hacerlo, tanto si el homicida es israelita como si es extranjero o se encuentra de paso.
Otros casos de homicidio
16 Pero si alguien golpea a otro con un objeto de hierro y lo mata, se trata de un asesinato, y el asesino deberá morir ejecutado. 17 Si lo golpea con un instrumento de piedra capaz de causar la muerte y, en efecto, el golpeado muere, se trata de un asesinato, y el asesino deberá morir ejecutado. 18 De igual manera, si el objeto con que lo golpea es un instrumento de madera capaz de causar la muerte y el golpeado muere, se trata de un asesinato, y el asesino deberá morir ejecutado. 19 El vengador de la sangre matará por sí mismo al asesino tan pronto como lo encuentre. 20 Igualmente si lo empujó por odio, o lanzó a propósito contra él alguna cosa ocasionándole la muerte, 21 o lo golpeó con su propia mano por enemistad y también le ocasionó la muerte, el agresor es un asesino y debe morir. El vengador de la sangre matará al asesino tan pronto como lo encuentre. 22 Pero puede suceder que lo haya empujado casualmente y sin ánimo de hacer mal, o que haya lanzado sin querer algún objeto contra él, 23 o bien que, sin haberlo visto, haya dejado caer sobre él algún objeto de piedra capaz de causar la muerte y, en efecto, lo mata sin que sea su enemigo ni tenga ánimo de hacerle daño; 24 en tal caso, la comunidad juzgará entre el homicida y el vengador de la sangre conforme a estas leyes, 25 protegerá al homicida del vengador de la sangre y lo hará retornar a la ciudad de asilo, donde se había refugiado, permaneciendo allí hasta que muera el sumo sacerdote, que fue ungido con el aceite santo. 26 Pero puede suceder que el homicida salga alguna vez fuera de los límites de su ciudad de refugio; 27 si el vengador de la sangre, al encontrarlo fuera de los límites de su ciudad de refugio, da muerte al homicida, no comete ningún crimen. 28 Porque el homicida debe permanecer en su ciudad de refugio hasta que muera el sumo sacerdote; después de la muerte del sumo sacerdote, el homicida podrá volver a la tierra donde tenía su heredad.
29 Estas disposiciones constituirán normas de derecho para ustedes y todos sus descendientes dondequiera que habiten.
30 Si alguien mata a una persona, el homicida será ejecutado, pero sólo ante la evidencia de varios testigos; el testimonio de una sola persona no será suficiente para condenar a muerte a alguien. 31 No aceptarás compensación económica por la vida del homicida, pues está condenado a muerte, y debe morir sin remisión. 32 Ni tampoco aceptarás compensación económica por el que huyó a su ciudad de refugio y quiere volver a residir en su tierra antes de que muera el sumo sacerdote. 33 Ustedes no contaminarán la tierra en donde residen, porque la sangre contamina la tierra, y la tierra no puede ser purificada de la sangre derramada sobre ella, si no es por la sangre del que la derramó. 34 No contaminen, pues, la tierra donde residen y en medio de la cual yo habito; porque yo el Señor habito en medio de Israel.
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
Numbers 35
English Standard Version
Cities for the Levites
35 The Lord spoke to Moses in (A)the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 2 (B)“Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities. 3 The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. 4 The pasturelands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits[a] all around. 5 And you shall measure, outside the city, on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities.
6 “The cities that you give to the Levites shall be (C)the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 All the cities that you give to the Levites shall be (D)forty-eight, with their pasturelands. 8 And as for the cities that you shall give (E)from the possession of the people of Israel, (F)from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites.”
Cities of Refuge
9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, (G)When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 (H)then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. 12 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. 13 And the cities that you give shall be your (I)six cities of refuge. 14 (J)You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and (K)for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there.
16 (L)“But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 17 And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 19 (M)The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, (N)lying in wait, so that he died, 21 or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. (O)The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
22 “But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him (P)without lying in wait 23 or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy and did not seek his harm, 24 then (Q)the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and (R)the avenger of blood, in accordance with these rules. 25 And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it (S)until the death of the high priest (T)who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled, 27 and (U)the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. 28 For he must remain in his city of refuge (V)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 for (W)a statute and rule for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.
30 “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the (X)evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death. 32 And you shall accept 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 high priest. 33 You shall not (Y)pollute the land in which you live, for blood (Z)pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except (AA)by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 (AB)You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, (AC)for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.”
Footnotes
- Numbers 35:4 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
La Palabra, (versión hispanoamericana) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
