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Easy-to-Read Version

Numbers 35:5

Measure off an area around the city for the Levites. Start at the northeast corner and measure 3000 feet to the south. Then from this corner, measure 3000 feet to the west. From there measure 3000 feet to the north and from that corner, 3000 feet to the east. The city will be in the center of this area.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Canaan;   Cities;   Levites;   Priest;   Suburbs;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Levites, the;   Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Levite;   Tribes;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Worship;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Levite;   Sabbath Day's Journey;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Cities of Refuge;   Gezer;   Pentateuch;   Sabbath;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cities of Refuge;   Levites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Travel (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Levites ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Levi;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Weights and Measures;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   Levitical Cities;   Sabbath Day's Journey;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Asylum;   Priestly Code;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
King James Version
And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
Lexham English Bible
You will measure outside the city the eastern edge two thousand cubits, for the southern edge two thousand cubits, for the western edge two thousand cubits, and for the northern edge two thousand cubits, with the city in the middle; this will be for them the pasturelands of the cities.
English Standard Version
And you shall measure, outside the city, on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities.
New Century Version
Also measure three thousand feet in each direction outside the city wall—three thousand feet east of the city, three thousand feet south of the city, three thousand feet west of the city, and three thousand feet north of the city, with the city in the center. This will be pastureland for the Levites' cities.
New English Translation
"You must measure from outside the wall of the town on the east 1,000 yards, and on the south side 1,000 yards, and on the west side 1,000 yards, and on the north side 1,000 yards, with the town in the middle. This territory must belong to them as grazing land for the towns.
Amplified Bible
"You shall also measure outside the city on the east, south, west, and north sides two thousand cubits (3,000 ft.), with the city in the center. This shall belong to the Levites as pasture lands for the cities.
New American Standard Bible
"You shall also 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, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And yee shall measure without the citie of the Eastside, two thousand cubites: and of the Southside, two thousand cubites: & of the Westside, two thousand cubites: & of ye Northside, two thousand cubites: & the citie shalbe in ye middes. this shalbe the measure of the suburbes of their cities.
Legacy Standard Bible
You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.
Complete Jewish Bible
Measure 3,000 feet outward from the city wall to the east, south, west and north, with the city in the center. The space between the 1,500-foot line and the 3,000-foot line will be their open land around the cities.
Darby Translation
And ye shall measure, without the city, the east side two thousand cubits, and the south side two thousand cubits, and the west side two thousand cubits, and the north side two thousand cubits, and the city shall be in the midst: they shall have this as suburbs of the cities.
George Lamsa Translation
And you shall measure from outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst; this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
Good News Translation
so that there is a square area measuring one thousand yards on each side, with the city in the middle.
Christian Standard Bible®
Measure a thousand yards outside the city for the east side, a thousand yards for the south side, a thousand yards for the west side, and a thousand yards for the north side, with the city in the center. This will belong to them as pasturelands for the cities.
Literal Translation
And you shall measure outside the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits; the city being in the middle. Thisshall be to them the open land around the cities.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus ye shal measure without the cite on ye East syde, two thousande cubites: & on ye South syde, two thousande cubites: & on ye West syde, two thousande cubites: & on ye North syde, two thousande cubites, so yt the cite be in the myddes. This shal be their suburbes.
American Standard Version
And ye shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
Bible in Basic English
The measure of this space of land is to be two thousand cubits outside the town on the east, and two thousand cubits on the south and on the west and on the north, the town being in the middle. This space will be the outskirts of their towns.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And ye shall measure without the citie of the east syde, two thousande cubites: and of the south syde, two thousande cubites: and of the west side, two thousand cubites: and of the north side, two thousande cubites also, and the citie shalbe in the middes: and these shalbe the suburbes of their cities.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And ye shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the open land about the cities.
King James Version (1611)
And ye shall measure from without the city on the Eastside two thousand cubites, and on the Southside two thousand cubites, and on the Westside two thousand cubites, & on the Northside two thousand cubites: and the citie shall be in the midst; this shalbe to them the suburbs of the cities.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and your city shall be in the midst of this, and the suburbs of the cities as described.
English Revised Version
And ye shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
Berean Standard Bible
You are also to measure two thousand cubits outside the city on the east, two thousand cubits on the south, two thousand cubits on the west, and two thousand cubits on the north, with the city in the center. These areas will serve as larger pasturelands for the cities.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
ayens the eest schulen be two thousynde cubitis, and ayens the south in lijk manere schulen be two thousynde cubitis, and at the see that biholdith to the west schal be the same mesure, and the north coost schal be endid bi euene terme. And the citees schulen be in the myddis, and the suburbabis with outforth.
Young's Literal Translation
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.
Update Bible Version
And you shall measure outside the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
Webster's Bible Translation
And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city [shall be] in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
World English Bible
You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
Measure off 3,000 feet outside the town walls in every direction—east, south, west, north—with the town at the center. This area will serve as the larger pastureland for the towns.
New Life Bible
And you should number 1,000 long steps from the city on the east side, on the south side, on the west side, and on the north side, with the city in the center. These fields around the cities will belong to them for their animals.
New Revised Standard
You shall measure, outside the town, for the east side two thousand cubits, for the south side two thousand cubits, for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, with the town in the middle; this shall belong to them as pasture land for their towns.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So ye shall measure - on the outside of the city - the eastward 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, with, the city, in the midst. This, shall be unto them the pasture lands of the cities,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Toward the east shall be two thousand cubits: and toward the south in like manner shall be two thousand cubits: toward the sea also, which looketh to the west, shall be the same extent: and the north side shall be bounded with the like limits. And the cities shall be in the midst, and the suburbs without.
Revised Standard Version
And you shall measure, outside the city, for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle; this shall belong to them as pasture land for their cities.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.

Contextual Overview

1 The Lord spoke to Moses. This was in the Jordan Valley in Moab, near the Jordan River, across from Jericho. He said, 2 "Tell the Israelites that they should give some of the cities in their part of the land to the Levites. The Israelites should give these cities and the pastures around them to the Levites. 3 The Levites will be able to live in them. And all the cattle and other animals that belong to the Levites will be able to eat from the pastures around these cities. 4 How much of your land should you give to the Levites? From the walls of the cities, go out 1500 feet—all of that land will belong to the Levites. 5 Measure off an area around the city for the Levites. Start at the northeast corner and measure 3000 feet to the south. Then from this corner, measure 3000 feet to the west. From there measure 3000 feet to the north and from that corner, 3000 feet to the east. The city will be in the center of this area. 6 Six of those cities will be cities of safety. If a person accidentally kills someone, that person can run to those towns for safety. In addition to those six cities, you will also give 42 more cities to the Levites. 7 So you will give a total of 48 cities to the Levites. You will also give them the land around those cities. 8 The large tribes of Israel will get large pieces of land. The small tribes of Israel will get small pieces of land. So the large tribes will give more cities and the small tribes will give fewer cities to the Levites."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 34:30
But Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have caused me a lot of trouble. All the people in this place will hate me. All the Canaanites and the Perizzites will turn against me. There are only a few of us. If the people in this place gather together to fight against us, I will be destroyed. And all our people will be destroyed with me."
Genesis 35:9
When Jacob came back from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again. God blessed Jacob
Genesis 35:11
God said to him, "I am God All-Powerful, and I give you this blessing: Have many children and grow into a great nation. Other nations and other kings will come out of you.
Genesis 35:16
Jacob and his group left Bethel. Before they came to Ephrath, Rachel began giving birth to her baby.
Exodus 23:27
"When you fight against your enemies, I will send my great power before you. I will help you defeat all your enemies. The people who are against you will become confused in battle and run away.
Exodus 34:24
"When you go into your land, I will force your enemies out of that land. I will expand your borders—you will get more and more land. You will go before the Lord your God three times each year. At that time no one will try to take your land from you.
Deuteronomy 11:25
No one will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God will make the people fear you wherever you go in that land. That is what he promised you before.
Joshua 5:1
So the Lord dried up the Jordan River until the Israelites finished crossing it. The kings of the Amorites living west of the Jordan River and the Canaanites living by the Mediterranean Sea heard about this and became very frightened. After that they were not brave enough to stand and fight against the Israelites.
1 Samuel 11:7
He took a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces. Then he gave the pieces of the oxen to messengers. He ordered the messengers to carry the pieces throughout the land of Israel. He told them to give this message to the Israelites: "Come follow Saul and Samuel. If anyone doesn't come and help them, this same thing will happen to his oxen." A great fear from the Lord came on the people. They all came together like one person.
1 Samuel 14:15
Great fear spread among the Philistine soldiers—those in the field, in the camp, and at the fort. Even the bravest soldiers were afraid. The ground began to shake, and they were completely overcome with fear.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits,.... Before only 1000 cubits were ordered to be

measured, and now 2000, even 2000 more, which were to be added to the other, and to begin where they ended. The first 1000 were for their cattle and goods, these 2000 for their gardens, orchards, fields, and vineyards; and so the Jewish writers understand it. Jarchi observes, that 1000 cubits are ordered, and after that 2000; and asks, how is this? or how is it to be reconciled? to which he answers, 2000 are put to them round about, and of them the 1000 innermost are for suburbs, and the outermost (i.e. the 2000) are for fields and vineyards; and with this agrees the Misnah a, from whence he seems to have taken it; and the same was to be on every other side of the city, south, west, and north, as follows:

and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; which, added to the other 1000 all around, must make a large circumference of land:

and the city shall be in the midst; in the midst of the circuit of three thousand cubits all around, so that it must stand very pleasant and convenient:

this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities; such a quantity of ground, consisting of so many cubits, shall be assigned to every city; the suburbs or glebe land to a Levite's city, on the four sides were four squares, and each square consisted of seventy six acres, one rood, twenty perches, and eighty square feet; all the four squares amounting to three hundred and five acres, two roods, one perch, besides fifty seven feet square, according to Bishop Cumberland.

a Sotah, c. 5. sect. 3. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

From without the city - Omit “from.” The demarcation here intended would run parallel to the wall of the city, outside which it was made. To guard against any restrictions of area, due to such causes as the irregular forms of the cities or the physical obstacles of the ground, it was ordained that the suburb should, alike on north, south, east, and west, present, at a distance of one thousand cubits (or, nearly one-third of a mile) from the wall, a front not less than two thousand cubits in length; and, by joining the extremities of these measured fronts according to the nature of the ground, a sufficient space for the Levites would be secured.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 35:5. And ye shall measure from without the city - two thousand cubits, c. — Commentators have been much puzzled with the accounts in these two verses. In Numbers 35:4 the measure is said to be 1,000 cubits from the wall in Numbers 35:5 the measure is said to be 2,000 from without the city. It is likely these two measures mean the same thing; at least so it was understood by the Septuagint and Coptic, who have δισχιλιους πηχεις, 2,000 cubits, in the fourth, as well as in the fifth verse; but this reading of the Septuagint and Coptic is not acknowledged by any other of the ancient versions, nor by any of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and De Rossi. We must seek therefore for some other method of reconciling this apparently contradictory account. Sundry modes have been proposed by commentators, which appear to me, in general, to require full as much explanation as the text itself. Maimonides is the only one intelligible on the subject. "The suburbs," says he, "of the cities are expressed in the law to be 3,000 cubits on every side from the wall of the city and outwards. The first thousand cubits are the suburbs, and the 2,000, which they measured without the suburbs, were for fields and vineyards." The whole, therefore, of the city, suburbs, fields, and vineyards, may be represented by the following diagram: -

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