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Myles Coverdale Bible

Numbers 35:5

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.

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.
Easy-to-Read Version
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.
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.
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 And the LORDE spake vnto Moses in the felde of the Moabites by Iordane ouer agaynst Iericho, & sayde: 2 Commaunde the childre of Israel, that they geue vnto ye Leuites of the inheritauce of their possession, cities to dwell in. The suburbes also aboute the cities shal ye geue vnto the Leuites, 3 that they maye dwell in the cities, and in the suburbes to haue their catell, and substaunce, and all their beestes. 4 The suburbes which ye geue vnto ye Leuites, shal reache fro the wall of ye cite outwarde, a M. cubites rounde aboute. 5 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. 6 And amoge the cities which ye shal geue vnto the Leuites, ye shall geue the sixe fre cities, that he which comitteth a slaughter, maie flye thither. Besydes the same ye shal geue the yet two & fourtie cities: 7 so yt all ye cities which ye geue vnto ye Leuites, be eight & fourtye wt their suburbes. 8 And of ye same ye shal geue the more, from the yt haue moch in possession amonge the children of Israel: & the lesse from them, that haue litle in possession. Euery one (acordinge to his enheritaunce that is deuyded vnto him) shall geue of his cities vnto the Leuites.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 34:30
And Iacob sayde vnto Symeon and Leui: Ye haue brought it so to passe, yt I stynke before the inhabiters of this lande, ye Cananites and Pheresites, & I am but a small nombre: Yf they gather them selues now together against me, they shal slaye me, so shal I be destroyed with my house.
Genesis 35:9
And God appeared agayne vnto Iacob, after that he was come out of Mesopotamia, and blessed him,
Genesis 35:11
And God sayde vnto him: I am the Allmightie God, be frutefull and multiplye: people and a multitude of people shal come of the, and kynges shall come out of thy loynes:
Genesis 35:15
And Iacob called ye place where God talked with him, Bethel.
Genesis 35:16
And he departed from Bethel: and whan he was yet a felde brode from Ephrath, Rachel traueyled, & the byrth came harde vpon hir.
Exodus 23:27
I wil sende my feare before the, and sley all the people where thou comest, & will make all thine enemies to turne their backes vpo the.
Exodus 34:24
Whan I shal cast out the Heithen before the, & enlarge yi borders, there shal no man desyre thy lode: for so moch as thou goest vp thre tymes in the yeare, to appeare before ye LORDE thy God.
Deuteronomy 11:25
Noman shal be able to wtstonde you. The LORDE youre God shal let the feare and drede of you come vpon all ye londes wherin ye go, like as he hath promysed you.
Joshua 5:1
Now whan all the kynges of ye Amorites that dwelt beyonde Iordane westwarde, and all the kynges of ye Cananites by the see syde herde, how ye LORDE had dryed vp the water of Iordane before the children of Israel, tyll they were come ouer their hert fayled them, nether was there eny more corage in them at the presence of the children of Israel.
1 Samuel 11:7
and he toke a couple of oxen, and hewed them in sunder, and sent them in to all the coastes of Israel by the messaungers, sayenge: Who so euer goeth not forth after Saul and Samuel, his oxen shalbe thus dealte withall. Then fell the feare of the LORDE vpon the people, so that they wente forth like as one man,

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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