Add parallel Print Page Options

Cities of Refuge

The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.

“When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 designate cities of refuge to which people can flee if they have killed someone accidentally. 12 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. 13 Designate six cities of refuge for yourselves, 14 three on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west in the land of Canaan. 15 These cities are for the protection of Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may flee there for safety.

16 “But if someone strikes and kills another person with a piece of iron, it is murder, and the murderer must be executed. 17 Or if someone with a stone in his hand strikes and kills another person, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death. 18 Or if someone strikes and kills another person with a wooden object, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death. 19 The victim’s nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer to death. 20 So if someone hates another person and waits in ambush, then pushes him or throws something at him and he dies, it is murder. 21 Or if someone hates another person and hits him with a fist and he dies, it is murder. In such cases, the avenger must put the murderer to death when they meet.

22 “But suppose someone pushes another person without having shown previous hostility, or throws something that unintentionally hits another person, 23 or accidentally drops a huge stone on someone, though they were not enemies, and the person dies. 24 If this should happen, the community must follow these regulations in making a judgment between the slayer and the avenger, the victim’s nearest relative: 25 The community must protect the slayer from the avenger and must escort the slayer back to live in the city of refuge to which he fled. There he must remain until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the sacred oil.

26 “But if the slayer ever leaves the limits of the city of refuge, 27 and the avenger finds him outside the city and kills him, it will not be considered murder. 28 The slayer should have stayed inside the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the slayer may return to his own property. 29 These are legal requirements for you to observe from generation to generation, wherever you may live.

30 “All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 31 Also, you must never accept a ransom payment for the life of someone judged guilty of murder and subject to execution; murderers must always be put to death. 32 And never accept a ransom payment from someone who has fled to a city of refuge, allowing a slayer to return to his property before the death of the high priest. 33 This will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land. And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder.[a] 34 You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 35:33 Or can make atonement for murder.

Appointment of Cities of Refuge

Then the Lord told Moses, 10 “Tell the Israelis that when they have crossed the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, 11 they are to designate some towns of refuge so that anyone who kills someone inadvertently may flee there. 12 They are to serve as cities of refuge from a blood avenger[a] in order to keep the inadvertent killer from dying until he has stood trial in the presence of the community. 13 You are to set aside six towns of refuge. 14 Appoint three towns this side of the Jordan River and three towns in the land of Canaan to serve as the towns of refuge, 15 that is, places[b] of refuge for the Israelis, the resident alien,[c] and any travelers among them. Anyone who kills a person inadvertently may flee there.”

Exceptions to Eligibility

16 “Whoever uses an iron implement to kill someone is to be adjudged[d] a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. 17 Furthermore, whoever uses a stone implement to kill someone is to be adjudged[e] a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. 18 Also, whoever uses a wooden implement to kill someone with it is to be adjudged[f] a murderer, and that murderer is certainly to be put to death. 19 The blood avenger himself is to execute the murderer. When he meets him, the blood avenger[g] is to put him to death. 20 If the killer[h] shoved his victim[i] out of hatred, or hurled something[j] at him while waiting in ambush so that he died, 21 or if he struck him with his hand out of hatred so that he died, then the killer is certainly to be put to death for murder. The avenger of blood is to put him to death when he meets him.”

Case Examples for Eligibility

22 “But if he pushed him suddenly without hatred, or if he hurled something[k] in his direction without waiting in ambush, 23 or if he hit him[l] with a stone carelessly[m] so that he was fatally injured, though he isn’t his enemy and he wasn’t seeking to commit evil against him, 24 then the community is to judge between the inadvertent killer and the blood avenger, following these ordinances. 25 The community is to release[n] the inadvertent killer from the blood avenger and return him to the town of refuge where he had fled. He is to live there until the High Priest dies, who will have anointed him with holy oil. 26 But if the inadvertent killer leaves the town of refuge where he had fled 27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the town of refuge where he had fled and kills him, the blood avenger is not to be found guilty of murder. 28 The inadvertent killer[o] is to live in the town of refuge until the High Priest dies. After the death of the High Priest, the inadvertent killer is to return to the land of his inheritance. 29 These are to be the statutes and ordinances for you throughout all your generations, regardless of where you live.”[p]

Capital Cases Require Multiple Witnesses

30 “Every murderer of a human being[q] is to be executed only according to testimony[r] given by multiple witnesses. A single witness is not to result in a death sentence.[s] 31 You are to receive no ransom for the life[t] of a killer who is guilty of murder; instead, he is to die. 32 You are not to receive payment of a[u] ransom for someone who had fled to a town of refuge but then left to live in his homeland before the death of the high priest. 33 You are not to pollute the land where you live, because blood defiles the land, and the land cannot atone for blood that has been spilled on it, except through the blood of the one who spilled it. 34 You are not to defile the land where you will be living, because I’m living among you. I am the Lord, who lives in Israel.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 35:12 Or related redeemer
  2. Numbers 35:15 The Heb. lacks places
  3. Numbers 35:15 Lit. the foreigner
  4. Numbers 35:16 The Heb. lacks to be adjudged
  5. Numbers 35:17 The Heb. lacks to be adjudged
  6. Numbers 35:18 The Heb. lacks to be adjudged
  7. Numbers 35:19 Lit. him, he
  8. Numbers 35:20 Lit. If he
  9. Numbers 35:20 Lit. shoved him
  10. Numbers 35:20 The Heb. lacks something
  11. Numbers 35:22 The Heb. lacks something
  12. Numbers 35:23 The Heb. lacks or had he hit him
  13. Numbers 35:23 Lit. stone without seeing it
  14. Numbers 35:25 Lit. deliver
  15. Numbers 35:28 Lit. He
  16. Numbers 35:29 Or in all your dwelling places
  17. Numbers 35:30 Or soul
  18. Numbers 35:30 Lit. by the mouth
  19. Numbers 35:30 Or soul
  20. Numbers 35:31 Or soul
  21. Numbers 35:32 The Heb. lacks payment of a