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Contemporary English Version

Numbers 35:25

If they decide that you are innocent, you will be protected from the victim's relative and sent to stay in one of the Safe Towns until the high priest dies.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Anointing;   Avenger of Blood;   Government;   Homicide;   Refuge;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cities of Refuge;   Homicide;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Blood-Avenger;   Levites;   Murder;   Punishments;   Refuge, Cities of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Kinsman-Redeemer;   Motives;   Punishment;   Vengeance;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Avenger of Blood;   City;   Murder;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Blood;   High Priest;   Jehoshaphat, Valley of;   Judges;   Murder;   Pentateuch;   Tombs;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Avenger;   Bloodguilt;   Cities of Refuge;   High Priest;   Manslayer;   Murder;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Kin;   Numbers, Book of;   Refuge, Cities of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - High Priest;   Refuge, Cities of;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Levi;   Refuge;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Avenger of blood;   Smith Bible Dictionary - High Priest;   Law of Moses;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Priest;   Refuge;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Assassination;   Ezekiel;   Homicide;   Murder;   Priest, High;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anointing;   Asylum;   Avenger of Blood;   Blood-Money;   Commandments, the 613;   High Priest;   Makkot;   Priestly Code;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the Kohen Gadol, who was anointed with the holy oil.
King James Version
And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
Lexham English Bible
The community will deliver the killer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the community will restore him to the city of his refuge to which he fled; and he will live there in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with holy oil.
English Standard Version
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 until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
New Century Version
They must protect the killer from the dead person's relative, sending the killer back to the original city of safety, to stay there until the high priest dies (the high priest had the holy oil poured on him).
New English Translation
The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the community must restore him to the town of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the consecrated oil.
Amplified Bible
'The congregation shall rescue the offender from the hand of the blood avenger and return him to his city of refuge, [the place] to which he had escaped; and he shall live there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the sacred oil.
New American Standard Bible
'And the congregation shall save the one who committed manslaughter from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall return him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hande of the auenger of blood, and the Congregation shall restore him vnto the citie of his refuge, whither hee was fled: and hee shal abide there vnto the death of the hie Priest, which is anointed with the holy oyle.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
Complete Jewish Bible
and the community is to save the killer from the next-of-kin avenger. The community is to return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he is to live there until the cohen hagadol, who was anointed with the holy oil, dies.
Darby Translation
and the assembly shall rescue the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the assembly shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he had fled; and he shall abide in it until the death of the high-priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Easy-to-Read Version
If the community decides to protect you from the dead person's family, the community must take you back to your city of safety. You must stay there until the official high priest dies.
George Lamsa Translation
And the congregation shall deliver the slayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall send him to the city of refuge, to which he had fled; and he shall dwell in it until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Good News Translation
You are guilty only of manslaughter, and the community is to rescue you from the dead person's relative, and they are to return you to the city of refuge to which you had escaped. You must live there until the death of the man who is then High Priest.
Christian Standard Bible®
The assembly is to protect the one who kills someone from the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge he fled to, and he must live there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
Literal Translation
And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the avenger of blood's hand. And the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the high priest dies, he who was anointed withthe holy oil.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the cogregacion shal delyuer the deedslayer from the hande of ye auenger of bloude, & shal let him come agayne to the fre cite, whither he was fled: & there shall he abyde vnto ye death of the hye prest, which was anoynted with ye holy oyle.
American Standard Version
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Bible in Basic English
And let the people keep the man responsible for the death safe from the hands of him who has the right of punishment for blood, and send him back to his safe town where he had gone in flight: there let him be till the death of the high priest who was marked with the holy oil.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hande of the reuenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore hym to the citie of his refuge, whyther he was fled: and he shal abide there vnto the death of the hye priest, whiche was annoynted with the holy oyle.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled; and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
King James Version (1611)
And the Congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hand of the reuenger of blood, and the Congregation shal restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it vnto the death of the high Priest, which was annoynted with the holy oyle.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he fled for refuge; and he shall dwell there till the death of the high-priest, whom they anointed with the holy oil.
English Revised Version
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
Berean Standard Bible
The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
the innocent schal be delyuered fro the hond of the vengere, and bi sentence of iugis he schal be led ayen in to the citee, to which he fledde, and he schal dwelle there, til the grete preest die, which is anoyntid with oile.
Young's Literal Translation
`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.
Update Bible Version
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he has fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he had fled: and he shall abide in it to the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
World English Bible
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
New King James Version
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 he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
The people will save the killer from the man who wants to punish him. And they will return him to his city where he had gone to be safe. He will live in it until the death of the head religious leader who was set apart with the holy oil.
New Revised Standard
and the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood. Then the congregation shall send the slayer back to the original city of refuge. The slayer shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and the assembly shall rescue the manslayer out of the hand of the blood-redeemer, and the assembly shall restore him unto his city of refuge whither he had fled, - and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who hath been anointed with the hallowing oil.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The innocent shall be delivered from the hand of the revenger, and shall be brought back by sentence into the city, to which he had fled, and he shall abide there until the death of the high priest, that is anointed with the holy oil.
Revised Standard Version
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 until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

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

abide in it: Numbers 35:28, Joshua 20:6, Romans 3:24-26, Ephesians 2:16-18, Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 7:25-28, Hebrews 9:12-15, Hebrews 10:19-22

anointed: Exodus 29:7, Leviticus 4:3, Leviticus 8:12, Leviticus 21:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:6 - by Exodus 29:29 - anointed Exodus 30:25 - an holy Numbers 35:12 - from the avenger Deuteronomy 19:5 - he shall flee Joshua 20:5 - General 2 Samuel 14:14 - he devise Luke 24:44 - in the law

Cross-References

Genesis 35:4
So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings, and he buried them under the oak tree near Shechem.
Genesis 35:8
While they were there, Rebekah's personal servant Deborah died. They buried her under an oak tree and called it "Weeping Oak."
Genesis 35:23
Jacob had twelve sons while living in northern Syria. His first-born Reuben was the son of Leah, who later gave birth to Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Leah's servant Zilpah had two sons: Gad and Asher. Jacob and his wife Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin. Rachel's servant woman Bilhah had two more sons: Dan and Naphtali.
Genesis 37:2
and this is the story of his family. When Jacob's son Joseph was seventeen years old, he took care of the sheep with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. But he was always telling his father all sorts of bad things about his brothers.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood,.... Put him under the care of proper persons, to conduct him to one of the cities of refuge, or put him in the way to it; and restrain the avenger of blood from pursuing him, until such time that it may be judged he is safe arrived there:

and the congregation shall restore him to the city of refuge, whither he was fled; so that it seems by this, when one had been guilty of manslaughter, and fled to one of the cities of refuge, he might be taken from thence and had before a court of justice, and there take his trial; and if it appeared that the fact was committed by him, ignorantly, unawares, and without design, then he was returned to his city of refuge; but, if otherwise, he was put to death, notwithstanding he had fled thither; and so it is said in the Misnah t, that

"at first, or formerly, one that killed another ignorantly or presumptuously, they sent him before to one of the cities of refuge, and the sanhedrim sent and fetched him from thence: he who was condemned to death by the court, they slew him; he that was not condemned was dismissed; he that was condemned to banishment they returned him to his place, according to

Numbers 35:25.''

and he shall abide in it, unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil: and then he was to be set at liberty, and return to his house and family and have his former possessions and honours, if he had any, restored unto him, the commission or warrant for his detainer there ceasing, being made void by the death of the high priest; who was the prince of the priests and Levites, to whom those cities belonged, and so under his jurisdiction: or so it was ordered, because such was the general mourning for such a public loss as an high priest, that all private revenges would subside, and the cause of them be buried, in grief and forgetfulness; though, no doubt, this had a respect to something which will be hereafter taken notice of: the Jews say u, that the mothers of the priests used to supply with a sufficient quantity of food and raiment such who fled to the cities of refuge, that they might not pray for the death of their sons; and according to them, a man's case was very bad when there was no high priest; for so they write w

"he whose cause is finished (or his case determined in a court of judicature), and there is no high priest; and he that slays an high priest, or an high priest slays another, he never goes out, no not so much as to bear testimony in any cause, and even in what the congregation has need of him, but there are his dwelling, his death, and his burial.''

t Misn. Maccot. c. 2. sect. 6. u Misn. Maccot. c. 2. sect. 3. w Misn. Maccot, c. 2. sect. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The sense is: Inasmuch as to take another man’s life by any means whatsoever is murder, and exposes the murderer to the penalty of retaliation; so, if the deed is done in hostility, it is in truth actual murder, and the murderer shall be slain; but if it be not done in hostility, then the congregation shall interpose to stop the avenger’s hand.

Numbers 35:19

When he meeteth him - Provided, of course, it were without a city of refuge.

Numbers 35:24

The case of the innocent slayer is here contemplated. In a doubtful case there would necessarily have to be a judicial decision as to the guilt or innocence of the person who claimed the right of asylum.

Numbers 35:25

The homicide was safe only within the walls of his city of refuge. He became a virtual exile from his home. The provisions here made serve to mark the gravity of the act of manslaughter, even when not premeditated; and the inconveniences attending on them fell, as is right and fair, upon him who committed the deed.

Unto the death of the high priest - The atoning death of the Saviour cast its shadow before on the statute-book of the Law and on the annals of Jewish history. The high priest, as the head and representative of the whole chosen family of sacerdotal mediators, as exclusively entrusted with some of the chief priestly functions, as alone privileged to make yearly atonement within the holy of holies, and to gain, from the mysterious Urim and Thummim, special revelations of the will of God, was, preeminently, a type of Christ. And thus the death of each successive high priest presignified that death of Christ by which the captives were to be freed, and the remembrance of transgressions made to cease.


 
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