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Contemporary English Version

Numbers 35:12

If the victim's relatives think it was murder, they might try to take revenge. Anyone accused of murder can run to one of these Safe Towns for protection and not be killed before a trial is held.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Government;   Homicide;   Refuge;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cities of Refuge;   Courts of Justice;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Murder;   Punishments;   Redeemer;   Refuge, Cities of;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - City of refuge;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Kinsman-Redeemer;   Motives;   Punishment;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Goel;   Manslayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Avenger;   Cities of Refuge;   Manslayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Kin;   Numbers, Book of;   Redeemer, Redemption;   Refuge, Cities of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Redemption (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Refuge, Cities of;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Avenger;   Levi;   Refuge;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Refuge;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Avenge;   Crime;   Homicide;   Manslayer;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Asylum;   Avenger of Blood;   Commandments, the 613;   Priestly Code;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
King James Version
And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
Lexham English Bible
The cities will be to you a refuge from a redeemer, so that the killer will not die until he stands before the community for judgment.
English Standard Version
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.
New Century Version
There the person will be safe from the dead person's relative who has the duty of punishing the killer. He will not die before he receives a fair trial in court.
New English Translation
And they must stand as your towns of refuge from the avenger in order that the killer may not die until he has stood trial before the community.
Amplified Bible
'The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who has caused the death of another will not be killed until he has had a [fair] trial before the congregation.
New American Standard Bible
'The cities shall serve you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who commits manslaughter does not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And these cities shalbe for you a refuge fro the auenger, that he which killeth, die not, vntill he stand before the Congregation in iudgement.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the cities shall be for you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
Complete Jewish Bible
These cities are to be a refuge for you from the dead person's next-of-kin, who might otherwise avenge his kinsman's death by slaying the killer prior to his standing trial before the community.
Darby Translation
And ye shall have these cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment.
Easy-to-Read Version
That person will be safe from anyone from the dead man's family who wants to punish the killer until that person is judged in court.
George Lamsa Translation
And they shall be to you cities for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not be killed until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
Good News Translation
There you will be safe from the dead person's relative who seeks revenge. No one accused of manslaughter is to be put to death without a public trial.
Christian Standard Bible®
You will have the cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who kills someone will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
Literal Translation
And the cities shall be to you for refuge from the kinsman avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And soch fre cities shalbe amonge you because of the auenger of bloude, that he which hath commytted slaughter, dye not, tyll he stonde in iudgment before the congregacion.
American Standard Version
And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment.
Bible in Basic English
In these towns you may be safe from him who has the right of punishment; so that death may not overtake the taker of life till he has been judged by the meeting of the people.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And these cities shalbe vnto you a refuge from the auenger of blood: that he which killeth, dye not, vntill he stand before the congregation in iudgement.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment.
King James Version (1611)
And they shall be vnto you cities for refuge from the auenger, that the man-slayer die not, vntill he stand before the Congregation in iudgement.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the cities shall be to you places of refuge from the avenger of blood, and the slayer shall not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
English Revised Version
And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment.
Berean Standard Bible
You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In whiche whanne the fleere hath fled, the kynesman of hym that is slayn, schal not mow sle hym, til he stonde in the siyt of the multitude, and the cause of hym be demed.
Young's Literal Translation
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.
Update Bible Version
And the cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer will not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
Webster's Bible Translation
And they shall be to you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the man-slayer may not die, until he stands before the congregation in judgment.
World English Bible
The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
The cities will be a safe place for you from the one who wants to punish you. So the one who has killed a person may not die until the people decide if he is guilty or not.
New Revised Standard
The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, so that the slayer may not die until there is a trial before the congregation.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So shall the cities serve you for places of refuge from the redeemer, - that the manslayer may not die, until he has stood before the assembly, for judgment,
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the fugitive shall be in them, the kinsman of him that is slain may not have power to kill him, until he stand before the multitude, and his cause be judged.
Revised Standard Version
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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.

Contextual Overview

9 The Lord then told Moses 10 to tell the people of Israel: After you have crossed the Jordan River and are settled in Canaan, 11 choose Safe Towns, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can run for protection. 12 If the victim's relatives think it was murder, they might try to take revenge. Anyone accused of murder can run to one of these Safe Towns for protection and not be killed before a trial is held. 13 There are to be six of these Safe Towns, 14 three on each side of the Jordan River. 15 They will be places of protection for anyone who lives in Israel and accidentally kills someone. 16The Lord said: Suppose you hit someone with a piece of iron or a large stone or a dangerous wooden tool. If that person dies, then you are a murderer and must be put to death 19 by one of the victim's relatives. He will take revenge for his relative's death as soon as he finds you. 20Or suppose you get angry and kill someone by pushing or hitting or by throwing something. You are a murderer and must be put to death by one of the victim's relatives.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

from the avenger: Numbers 35:19, Numbers 35:25-27, Deuteronomy 19:6, Joshua 20:3-6, Joshua 20:9, 2 Samuel 14:7

until he stand: Numbers 35:24, Deuteronomy 19:11, Deuteronomy 19:12, Joshua 20:4-6

Reciprocal: Numbers 8:9 - shalt gather the whole Deuteronomy 4:42 - General Joshua 20:5 - General Joshua 20:6 - until 2 Kings 7:7 - and fled for their life Matthew 5:21 - and

Cross-References

Genesis 12:7
but the Lord appeared to Abram and promised, "I will give this land to your family forever." Abram then built an altar there for the Lord .
Genesis 15:18
At that time the Lord made an agreement with Abram and told him: I will give your descendants the land east of the Shihor River on the border of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River.
Genesis 28:13
The Lord was standing beside the ladder and said: I am the Lord God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping.
Genesis 35:1
God told Jacob, "Return to Bethel, where I appeared to you when you were running from your brother Esau. Make your home there and build an altar for me."
Genesis 35:3
Afterwards, we'll go to Bethel. I will build an altar there for God, who answered my prayers when I was in trouble and who has always been at my side.
Genesis 35:4
So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings, and he buried them under the oak tree near Shechem.
Genesis 35:14
Jacob set up a large rock, so that he would remember what had happened there. Then he poured wine and olive oil on the rock to show that it was dedicated to God,
Genesis 35:17
She was having a rough time, but the woman who was helping her said, "Don't worry! It's a boy."
Genesis 35:21
Jacob, also known as Israel, traveled to the south of Eder Tower, where he set up camp.
Genesis 48:4
and promised, "I will give you a large family with many descendants that will grow into a nation. And I am giving you this land that will belong to you and your family forever."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they shall be unto you cities of refuge from the avenger,.... Or near kinsman; for as the right of redemption of an estate that was mortgaged belonged to such an one, so of revenging the blood of any one that was killed:

that the manslayer die not; by the hand of the avenger, who in the heat of his passion would, could he come at him, fall upon him, and slay him, to avenge the death of his relation on him:

until he stand before the congregation in judgment; before the court of judicature, to be examined, tried, and judged, whether the murder was committed knowingly and willingly, or whether through mistake and at unawares: this was done either before the court of judicature in the city of refuge, who took cognizance of such cases directly, that they might know whom to harbour and protect, and whom not; or before the court in the place where the act was committed: interpreters are divided about this; and Calmet l is of opinion that he was examined in both courts, first more strictly in the city of refuge, and then more slightly in the place where it was done, which is not improbable; however, this seems manifest from Numbers 35:25, that the court where it was committed had power to fetch him from the city of refuge, and set him before them, and examine into the case; and, if an innocent person, restored him to the city of refuge, whither he had fled.

l Dictionary, on the word "Refuge".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The avenger - Hebrew גאל gā'al, a term of which the original import is uncertain. The very obscurity of its etymology testifies to the antiquity of the office which it denotes. That office rested on the principle of Genesis 9:6, “whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” The unwritten code of the East conceded to the nearest kinsman of a murdered man the right of avenging the blood that had been shed. Such rude justice necessarily involved grave evils. It gave no opportunity to the person charged with crime of establishing is innocence; it recognized no distinction between murder, manslaughter, and accidental homicide; it perpetuated family blood-feuds, the avenger of blood being liable to be treated in his turn as a murderer by the kinsman of the man whom he had slain. These grievances could not be removed as long as there was no central government, but they might be mitigated; and to do this was the object of the institution in the text (compare Exodus 21:13).

Among the Arab tribes, who are under the control of no central authority, the practice of blood-revenge subsists in full force to the present day.

The congregation - i. e. local court, consisting of the elders of the city Joshua 20:4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 35:12. Until he stand before the congregation in judgment. — So one of these cities was not a perpetual asylum; It was only a pro tempore refuge, till the case could be fairly examined by the magistrates in the presence of the people, or the elders their representatives; and this was done in the city or place where he had done the murder, Joshua 20:4; Joshua 20:6. If he was found worthy of death, they delivered him to the avenger that he might be slain, Deuteronomy 19:12; if not, they sent him back to the city of refuge, where he remained till the death of the high priest, Numbers 35:25. Before the cities of refuge were appointed, the altar appears to have been a sanctuary for those who had killed a person unwittingly; see on Exodus 21:13; Exodus 21:14.


 
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