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
民数记 35
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
利未人分到的城邑
35 在耶利哥对面、约旦河边的摩押平原，耶和华对摩西说： 2 “你告诉以色列人，要从分得的产业中把一些城邑及其周围的草场分给利未人。 3 城邑供他们居住，草场供他们牧放牛羊等牲畜。 4 划分给利未人的草场是从城墙往外延伸四百五十米[a]， 5 要以城为中心，东南西北四郊每边向外量九百米作利未人的草场。 6 要分给利未人四十二座城邑，另外再加六座供误杀人者躲避的避难城， 7 共四十八座城邑，包括城周围的草场。 8 以色列各支派要从自己承受的产业中分一些城邑给利未人，人多的支派多给，人少的支派少给。”
避难城
9 耶和华对摩西说： 10 “告诉以色列人，‘你们过了约旦河进入迦南以后， 11 要选一些城邑作为避难城，供误杀人者逃去避难， 12 躲避复仇的人，以免误杀人者未在会众面前受审便被杀死。 13 你们要选六座城作为避难城， 14 三座在约旦河东岸，三座在迦南。 15 凡误杀人的，无论是以色列人还是寄居的外族人，都可以逃到这些城避难。
16 “‘倘若有人用铁器打人致死，他就是故意杀人，必须被处死。 17 倘若有人用足以致命的石头打人致死，他就是故意杀人，必须被处死。 18 倘若有人用足以致命的木器打人致死，他就是故意杀人，必须被处死。 19 报仇的人要亲自处死故意杀人者，一找到他就要处死他。 20 倘若有人因怨恨把人推倒致死，或故意扔东西砸人致死， 21 或因仇恨徒手伤人致死，他就是故意杀人，必须被处死，报仇的人一找到他就要处死他。
22 “‘倘若有人并非怀恨而是偶然推倒人致死，或无意间扔东西砸人致死， 23 或因没有看见而扔石头砸人致死，鉴于他与对方并非仇人，只是误杀， 24 会众就要照这些律例在误杀人者与复仇者之间做出判决。 25 会众要把误杀人者从复仇者手里救出来，让他回到他原先逃往的避难城。他要住在那里，一直住到受圣油膏立的大祭司逝世。 26 但倘若误杀人者离开避难城， 27 复仇者在城外找到他，将他杀死也不用担血债。 28 因为误杀人者必须留在避难城内，等到大祭司逝世之后，才可返回家园。 29 这是你们世世代代无论住在哪里都要遵守的律例。
30 “‘倘若有人被控谋杀，必须有几个人作证才可以处死他，不可凭一个人的证词处死他。 31 犯了死罪的杀人凶手必须偿命，不可让他付赎金免死。 32 不可收逃进避难城之人的赎金，让他在大祭司逝世前返回家园。 33 这样，你们就不致玷污你们所居住的土地，因为血会玷污土地。除非用凶手的血作抵偿，否则被血玷污的土地无法得到洁净。 34 不可玷污你们所居住的土地，因为这是我居住的地方，我耶和华住在以色列人中间。’”
Footnotes
- 35:4 “四百五十米”七十士译本为“九百一十米”。
Numbers 35
Young's Literal Translation
35 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, [near] Jericho, saying,
2 `Command the sons of Israel, and they have given to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to inhabit; also a suburb for the cities round about them ye do give to the Levites.
3 And the cities have been to them to inhabit, and their suburbs are for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.
4 `And the suburbs of the cities which ye give to the Levites [are], from the wall of the city and without, a thousand cubits round about.
5 And ye have measured from the outside of the city, the east quarter, two thousand by the cubit, and the south quarter, two thousand by the cubit, and the west quarter, two thousand by the cubit, and the north quarter, two thousand by the cubit; and the city [is] in the midst; this is to them the suburbs of the cities.
6 `And the cities which ye give to the Levites [are] the six cities of refuge, which ye give for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, and besides them ye give forty and two cities;
7 all the cities which ye give to the Levites [are] forty and eight cities, them and their suburbs.
8 And the cities which ye give [are] of the possession of the sons of Israel, from the many ye multiply, and from the few ye diminish; each, according to his inheritance which they inherit, doth give of his cities to the Levites.'
9 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
10 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye are passing over the Jordan to the land of Canaan,
11 and have prepared to yourselves cities -- cities of refuge they are to you -- then fled thither hath a man-slayer, smiting a person unawares,
12 and the cities have been to you for a refuge from the redeemer, and the man-slayer doth not die till his standing before the company for judgment.
13 `As to the cities which ye give -- six [are] cities of refuge to you;
14 the three of the cities ye give beyond the Jordan, and the three of the cities ye give in the land of Canaan; cities of refuge they are.
15 To sons of Israel, and to a sojourner, and to a settler in their midst, are these six cities for a refuge, for the fleeing thither of any one smiting a person unawares.
16 `And if with an instrument of iron he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he [is] a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death.
17 `And if with a stone [in] the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he [is] a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death.
18 `Or with a wooden instrument [in] the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he [is] a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death.
19 `The redeemer of blood himself doth put the murderer to death; in his coming against him he doth put him to death.
20 `And if in hatred he thrust him through, or hath cast [anything] at him by lying in wait, and he dieth;
21 or in enmity he hath smitten him with his hand, and he dieth; the smiter is certainly put to death; he [is] a murderer; the redeemer of blood doth put the murderer to death in his coming against him.
22 `And if, in an instant, without enmity, he hath thrust him through, or hath cast at him any instrument, without lying in wait;
23 or with any stone wherewith he dieth, without seeing, and causeth [it] to fall upon him, and he dieth, and he [is] not his enemy, nor seeking his evil;
24 then have the company judged between the smiter and the redeemer of blood, by these judgments.
25 `And the company have delivered the man-slayer out of the hand of the redeemer of blood, and the company have caused him to turn back unto the city of his refuge, whither he hath fled, and he hath dwelt in it till the death of the chief priest, who hath been anointed with the holy oil.
26 `And if the man-slayer at all go out [from] the border of the city of his refuge whither he fleeth,
27 and the redeemer of blood hath found him at the outside of the border of the city of his refuge, and the redeemer of blood hath slain the man-slayer, blood is not for him;
28 for in the city of his refuge he doth dwell till the death of the chief priest; and after the death of the chief priest doth the man-slayer turn back unto the city of his possession.
29 `And these things have been to you for a statute of judgment to your generations, in all your dwellings:
30 whoso smiteth a person, by the mouth of witnesses doth [one] slay the murderer; and one witness doth not testify against a person -- to die.
31 `And ye take no atonement for the life of a murderer who [is] condemned -- to die, for he is certainly put to death;
32 and ye take no atonement for him to flee unto the city of his refuge, to turn back to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
33 `And ye profane not the land which ye [are] in, for blood profaneth the land; as to the land, it is not pardoned for blood which is shed in it except by the blood of him who sheddeth it;
34 and ye defile not the land in which ye are dwelling, in the midst of which I do tabernacle, for I Jehovah do tabernacle in the midst of the sons of Israel.'
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.