Numbers 35 - Expanded Bible (EXB)

The Levites’ Towns

35 The Lord spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab across from Jericho by the Jordan River. He said, 2 “Command the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] to give the Levites cities to live in from the ·land [L possession] they ·receive [L inherit]. Also give the Levites the pastureland around these cities. 3 Then the Levites will have cities where they may live and pastureland for their cattle, flocks, and other animals. 4 The pastureland you give the Levites will extend ·fifteen hundred feet [L a thousand cubits] from the city wall. 5 Also measure ·three thousand feet [L two thousand cubits] in each direction outside the city wall—·three thousand feet [L two thousand cubits] east of the city, ·three thousand feet [L two thousand cubits] south of the city, ·three thousand feet [L two thousand cubits] west of the city, and ·three thousand feet [L two thousand cubits] north of the city, with the city in the center. This will be pastureland for the Levites’ cities.

Cities of Safety

6 “Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of ·safety [refuge]. A person who accidentally kills someone may run to one of those cities for ·safety [refuge]. You must also give forty-two other cities to the Levites; 7 give the Levites a total of forty-eight cities and their pastures. 8 The larger tribes of ·Israel [L the sons/T children of Israel] must give more cities, and the smaller tribes must give fewer cities. Each tribe must give some of its cities to the Levites, but the number of cities they give will depend on the size of their land.”

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] these things: ‘When you cross the Jordan River and go into Canaan, 11 you must choose cities to be cities of ·safety [refuge], so that a person who ·accidentally [unintentionally] kills someone may run to them for ·safety [refuge]. 12 There the person will be safe from the dead person’s ·relative who has the duty of punishing the killer [avenger; near-kinsman]. He will not die before he ·receives a fair trial in court [L stands before the community/assembly/congregation for judgment]. 13 The six cities you give will be cities of ·safety [refuge]. 14 Give three cities ·east of [L beyond] the Jordan River and three cities in Canaan as cities of ·safety [refuge]. 15 These six cities will be places of ·safety [refuge] for ·citizens [L sons; T children] of Israel, as well as for ·foreigners [resident aliens] and ·other people living with you [tenants]. Any of these people who ·accidentally [unintentionally] kills someone may run to one of these cities.

16 “‘Anyone who uses an iron weapon to ·kill [L strike] someone is a murderer. He must be put to death. 17 Anyone who takes a rock and ·kills [L strikes] a person with it is a murderer. He must be put to death. 18 Anyone who picks up a piece of wood and ·kills [L strikes] someone with it is a murderer. He must be put to death. 19 A ·relative of the dead person [near-relative; avenger of blood] must put the murderer to death; when they meet, the relative must kill the murderer. 20 A person might shove someone out of hatred or throw something at someone while lying in wait and cause death. 21 Or a person might ·hit [L strike] someone with his hand and cause death. If it were done from hate, the person is a murderer and must be put to death. A ·relative of the dead person [near-relative; avenger of blood] must kill the murderer when they meet.

22 “‘But a person might suddenly shove someone, and not from hatred. Or a person might ·accidentally [without lying in wait] throw something and ·hit [L strike] someone. 23 Or a person might drop a rock on someone he couldn’t see and kill that person. There was no plan to hurt anyone and ·no hatred for the one who was killed [L they were not enemies]. 24 If that happens, the ·community [assembly; congregation] must judge between the ·relative of the dead person [near-relative; avenger of blood] and the ·killer [L striker], according to these rules. 25 ·They [L The community/assembly/congregation] must protect the killer from the ·dead person’s relative [near-relative; avenger of blood], sending the killer back to the original city of ·safety [refuge], to stay there until the high priest dies (the high priest ·had the holy oil poured on him [was anointed with holy oil]).

26 “‘Such a person must never go outside the limits of the city of ·safety [refuge]. 27 If a ·relative of the dead person [near-relative; avenger of blood] finds the killer outside the city, the ·relative [near-relative; avenger of blood] may kill that person and ·not be guilty of murder [L there will be no bloodguilt]. 28 The killer must stay in the city of ·safety [refuge] until the high priest dies. After the high priest dies, the killer may ·go home [L return to the land of his possession].

29 “‘These ·laws [L statutes/ordinances/requirements and judgments] are for you ·from now on [L throughout your generations], wherever you live.

30 “‘If anyone ·kills [L strikes] a person, the murderer may be put to death only if there are witnesses. No one may be put to death with only one witness.

31 “‘Don’t take ·money to spare the life of [ransom for] a murderer who should be put to death. A murderer must be put to death.

32 “‘If someone has run to a city of ·safety [refuge], don’t take money to let the person go back home before the high priest dies.

33 “‘Don’t let murder ·spoil [pollute; defile] your land. The only way to ·remove the sin [atone for] of killing an innocent person is for the murderer to be put to death. 34 I am the Lord, and I live among the Israelites. I live in that land with you, so do not ·spoil [pollute; defile] it with murder.’”

You Might Also Like:

Numbers 35 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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...
Read More

Numbers 35 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

35 And the Lord spake these things to Moses, in the field places of Moab, above Jordan, against Jericho, (And the Lord spoke these things to Moses, on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River, opposite Jericho,) 2 Command thou to the sons of Israel, that they give to the deacons, of their possess...
Read More

Numbers 35 - World English Bible (WEB)

35 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites cities to dwell in out of their inheritance. You shall give pasture lands for the cities around them to the Levites. 3 They shall have the cities to dwell in. T...
Read More

Numbers 35 - The Voice (VOICE)

35 In that area, on the Moabite flatlands across the Jordan River, east of Jericho, the Eternal One issued more directions mediated by Moses to the Israelites. God ensures that an allowance is made for the Levites, who will not have any territory of their own.Eternal One: 2 Tell the Israelite famili...
Read More

Numbers 35 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Cities for the Levites35 Adonai spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho saying, 2 “Command Bnei-Yisrael to give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possessions cities in which to live. They are also to give the Levites pasturelands around the cities. 3 Thus they will...
Read More

Numbers 35 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Cities for the Levites35 The Lord said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, 2 “Command the people of Israel, that they give to the Levites, from the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands round about the cities. 3 Th...
Read More

Numbers 35 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Cities for the Levites35 The Lord said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, 2 “Command the people of Israel, that they give to the Levites, from the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands round about the cities. 3 Th...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Cities for the Levites35 In the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance that they possess, towns for the Levites to live in; you shall also give to the Levites pasture lands surrounding the towns. 3 The towns ...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Cities for the Levites35 In the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance that they possess, towns for the Levites to live in; you shall also give to the Levites pasturelands surrounding the towns.(A)3 The ...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Towns for the Levites35 While Israel was camped beside the Jordan on the plains of Moab across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites from their property certain towns to live in, along with the surrounding pasturelands. 3 These towns will be for...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New Life Version (NLV)

Cities for the Levites35 The Lord said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to give the Levites cities to live in from the land they receive. And give the Levites fields around the cities. 3 The cities will be theirs to live in. Their fields will ...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Cities for the Levites35 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 ar...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Towns for the Levites35 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, 2 ‘Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasture-lands around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns to live i...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New International Version (NIV)

Towns for the Levites35 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho,(A) the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in(B) from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands(C) around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns ...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Levites Receive Their Towns35 On the plains of Moab, the Lord spoke to Moses. It was by the Jordan River across from Jericho. The Lord said, 2 “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in. The towns must come from the shares of land the people will have as their own. Also give t...
Read More

Numbers 35 - New English Translation (NET)

The Levitical Cities35 [a] Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the rift valley plains[b] of Moab along the Jordan near Jericho. He said: 2 “Instruct the Israelites to give[c] the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites[d] will possess. You must also give the Levites grazing land ar...
Read More