Numbers 35:15

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
For the children of Yisra'el, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

King James Version
These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

Lexham English Bible
To the Israelites, to the alien, and to the temporary resident in their midst there will be these six cities as a refuge to which anyone who unintentionally kills a person may flee.

English Standard Version
These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there.

New Century Version
These six cities will be places of safety for citizens of Israel, as well as for foreigners and other people living with you. Any of these people who accidentally kills someone may run to one of these cities.

New English Translation
These six towns will be places of refuge for the Israelites, and for the foreigner, and for the settler among them, so that anyone who kills any person accidentally may flee there.

Amplified Bible
'These six cities shall be a refuge for the Israelites and for the stranger and the resident alien among them; so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may escape there.

New American Standard Bible
'These six cities shall be a refuge for the sons of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreign resident among them; so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

Geneva Bible (1587)
These six cities shalbe a refuge for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for him that dwelleth among you, that euery one which killeth any person vnwares, may flee thither.

Legacy Standard Bible
These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel and for the sojourner and for the foreign resident among them; that anyone who strikes a person down unintentionally may flee there.

Contemporary English Version
They will be places of protection for anyone who lives in Israel and accidentally kills someone.

Complete Jewish Bible
These six cities will serve as refuge for the people of Isra'el, as well as for the foreigner and resident alien with them; so that anyone who kills someone by mistake may flee there.

Darby Translation
For the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them shall these six cities be a refuge, that one who smiteth a person mortally without intent may flee thither.

Easy-to-Read Version
These cities will be places of safety for citizens of Israel and for foreigners and travelers. Any of these people will be able to run to one of these cities if they accidentally kill someone.

George Lamsa Translation
These six cities shall be for refuge, both for the children of Israel and for the proselytes and for the sojourner among them; that every one who kills any person unawares may flee there.

Good News Translation
These will serve as cities of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners who are temporary or permanent residents. Anyone who kills someone accidentally can escape to one of them.

Christian Standard Bible®
These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the alien or temporary resident among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

Literal Translation
These six cities shall be for a refuge to the sons of Israel, and to an alien, and to a sojourner in their midst, that any person who kills anyone unawares may flee there.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
These are the sixe fre cities, both for ye childre of Israel & for the straungers, & for soch as dwell amoge you, yt who so euer hath slaine eny soule vnawarres, maye flye thither.

American Standard Version
For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that every one that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither.

Bible in Basic English
For the children of Israel and for the man from another country who is living among them, these six towns are to be safe places, where anyone causing the death of another through error may go in flight.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And these sixe cities shalbe a refuge, both for the chyldren of Israel, and for the straunger, & for hym that dwelleth among you: that all they whiche kyll any person vnwares, may flee thyther.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the settler among them, shall these six cities be for refuge, that every one that killeth any person through error may flee thither.

King James Version (1611)
These sixe cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the soiourner among them: that euery one that killeth any person vnawares, may flee thither.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
It shall be a place of refuge for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for him that sojourns among you; these cities shall be for a place of refuge, for every one to flee thither who has killed a man unintentionally.

English Revised Version
For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge: that every one that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither.

Berean Standard Bible
These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or sojourner among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
as wel to the sones of Israel as to comelyngis and pilgryms; that he fle to tho citees, that schedde blood not wilfuli.

Young's Literal Translation
To sons of Israel, and to a sojourner, and to a settler in their midst, are these six cities for a refuge, for the fleeing thither of any one smiting a person unawares.

Update Bible Version
For the sons of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that every one that kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

Webster's Bible Translation
These six cities shall be a refuge, [both] for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

World English Bible
For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

New King James Version
These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.

New Living Translation
These cities are for the protection of Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may flee there for safety.

New Life Bible
These six cities will be safe places for the people of Israel and for the stranger and for the one who visits them. Anyone who kills a person without meaning to may run there.

New Revised Standard
These six cities shall serve as refuge for the Israelites, for the resident or transient alien among them, so that anyone who kills a person without intent may flee there.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For the sons of Israel and for the sojourner. and for the settler in your midst, shall these six cities serve, as places of refuge, - that any one may flee thither who hath slain a person, by mistake.

Douay-Rheims Bible
As well for the children of Israel as for strangers and sojourners, that he may flee to them, who hath shed blood against his will.

Revised Standard Version
These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that any one who kills any person without intent may flee there.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

Contextual Overview

⁹ God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, When you cross the River Jordan into the country of Canaan, designate your asylum-cities, towns to which a person who accidentally kills someone can flee for asylum. They will be places of refuge from the avenger so that the alleged murderer won't be killed until he can appear before the community in court. Provide six asylum-cities. Designate three of the towns to the east side of the Jordan, the other three in Canaan proper—asylum-cities for the People of Israel, for the foreigner, and for any occasional visitors or guests—six asylum-cities to run to for anyone who accidentally kills another. ¹⁶ "But if the killer has used an iron object, that's just plain murder; he's obviously a murderer and must be put to death. ¹⁷ "Or if he has a rock in his hand big enough to kill and the man dies, that's murder; he's a murderer and must be put to death. ¹⁸ "Or if he's carrying a wooden club heavy enough to kill and the man dies, that's murder; he's a murderer and must be put to death. ¹⁹ "In such cases the avenger has a right to kill the murderer when he meets him—he can kill him on the spot. ²⁰"And if out of sheer hatred a man pushes another or from ambush throws something at him and he dies, or angrily hits him with his fist and kills him, that's murder—he must be put to death. The avenger has a right to kill him when he gets him. ²²"If, however, he impulsively pushes someone and there is no history of hard feelings, or he impetuously picks up something and throws it, or he accidentally drops a stone tool—a maul or hammer, say—and it hits and kills someone he didn't even know was there, and there's no suspicion that there was bad blood between them, the community is to judge between the killer and the avenger following these guidelines. It's the task of the community to save the killer from the hand of the avenger—the community is to return him to his asylum-city to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the High Priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the murderer leaves the asylum-city to which he has fled, and the avenger finds him outside the borders of his asylum-city, the avenger has a right to kill the murderer. And he's not considered guilty of murder. ²⁸ "So it's important that he stay in his asylum-city until the death of the High Priest. After the death of the High Priest he is free to return to his own place. ²⁹ "These are the procedures for making judgments from now on, wherever you live. ³⁰ "Anyone who kills another may be executed only on the testimony of eyewitnesses. But no one can be executed on the testimony of only one witness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 15:16, Exodus 12:49, Leviticus 24:22, Romans 3:29, Galatians 3:28

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 4:41 - General Deuteronomy 4:42 - General Deuteronomy 19:4 - the slayer Joshua 20:2 - you refuge Joshua 20:9 - the cities 2 Samuel 14:14 - he devise

Gill's Notes on the Bible

These six cities shall be a refuge both for the children of Israel and for the stranger,.... For an Israelite, and a proselyte of righteousness, one that embraced the Jewish religion, and in all things conformed to it, and to whom there was but one law in things civil and religious:

and for the sojourner among you; the proselyte of the gate, who renounced idolatry, and observed the commands of the sons of Noah, but in other things did not comply with the Jewish ceremonies, yet had the benefit of the cities of refuge equally with the other; though the Jews say p, such a proselyte or sojourner had only this privilege, who slew a proselyte, but not if he slew an Israelite; but for this distinction there is no foundation in the text:

that everyone that killeth any person unawares may flee thither; whether an Israelite, or a proselyte of righteousness or of the gate.

p Misn. Maccot, c. 2. sect. 3.