Numbers 35:30

THE MESSAGE

"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.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

King James Version
Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

Lexham English Bible
"‘If anyone kills a person, the killer will be put to death according to the testimony of witnesses, but someone cannot die on testimony of one person.

English Standard Version
"If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

New Century Version
"‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer may be put to death only if there are witnesses. No one may be put to death with only one witness.

New English Translation
"Whoever kills any person, the murderer must be put to death by the testimony of witnesses, but one witness cannot testify against any person to cause him to be put to death.

Amplified Bible
'If anyone kills a person [intentionally], the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of [two or more] witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of [only] one witness.

New American Standard Bible
'If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Whosoeuer killeth any person, the Iudge shall slay the murtherer, through witnesses: but one witnesse shall not testifie against a person to cause him to die.

Legacy Standard Bible
‘If anyone strikes down a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the mouth of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

Contemporary English Version
Death is the penalty for murder. But no one accused of murder can be put to death unless there are at least two witnesses to the crime.

Complete Jewish Bible
"‘If anyone kills someone, the murderer is to be put to death upon the testimony of witnesses; but the testimony of only one witness will not suffice to cause a person to be put to death.

Darby Translation
Whoever shall smite a person mortally, at the mouth of witnesses shall the murderer be put to death; but one witness shall not testify against a person to cause him to die.

Easy-to-Read Version
"A killer should be put to death as a murderer only if there are witnesses. No one can be put to death if there is only one witness.

George Lamsa Translation
Whosoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but just one witness shall not testify against any person that he may be put to death.

Good News Translation
"Those accused of murder may be found guilty and put to death only on the evidence of two or more witnesses; the evidence of one witness is not sufficient to support an accusation of murder.

Christian Standard Bible®
“If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death based on the word of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of one witness.

Literal Translation
Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses. And one witness shall not testify against a person, to die.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The deed slayer shal be slayne at ye mouth of witnesses. One witnesse shal not answere ouer a soule to death.

American Standard Version
Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

Bible in Basic English
Anyone causing the death of another is himself to be put to death on the word of witnesses: but the word of one witness is not enough.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whoso kylleth any person, the [Iudge] shall put the murtherer to death thorowe wytnesses: but one wytnesse shall not testifie agaynst any person, to cause hym to dye.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

King James Version (1611)
Who so killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death, by the mouth of witnesses: but one witnesse shall not testifie against any person, to cause him to die.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Whoever kills a man, thou shalt slay the murderer on the testimony of witnesses; and one witness shall not testify against a soul that he should die.

English Revised Version
Whoso killeth any person, the manslayer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

Berean Standard Bible
If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of multiple witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A mansleere schal be punyschid vndur witnessis; no man schal `be dampned at the witnessyng of o man.

Young's Literal Translation
whoso smiteth a person, by the mouth of witnesses doth [one] slay the murderer; and one witness doth not testify against a person -- to die.

Update Bible Version
Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

Webster's Bible Translation
Whoever killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person [to cause him] to die.

World English Bible
Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

New King James Version
Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.

New Living Translation
"All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

New Life Bible
If anyone kills a person, the killer must be put to death by what is told by those who saw the killing. But no person may be put to death because of what one person says.

New Revised Standard
If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Whosoever taketh away life, at the mouth of witnesses, shall, the slayer be slain, - but, one witness, shall not testify against a person, to put him to death.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The murderer shall be punished by witnesses: none shall be condemned upon the evidence of one man.

Revised Standard Version
If any one kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

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

Deuteronomy 17:6, Deuteronomy 17:7, Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16, John 8:17, John 8:18, 2 Corinthians 13:1, 1 Timothy 5:19, Hebrews 10:28, Revelation 11:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 23:11 - in the Exodus 21:12 - General Exodus 21:20 - he shall Numbers 35:16 - the Deuteronomy 13:14 - General Matthew 5:21 - and 1 Timothy 1:9 - manslayers

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whoso killeth any person,.... Willingly, and through enmity and malice:

the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of two witnesses; which is repeated partly to show, that this law concerning the cities of refuge was not designed to screen a murderer, who was guilty through malice prepense; and partly for the sake of what is added to it, that two witnesses are required in such a case, where a man's life is at stake, to prove the fact against him; which shows how careful the Lord is, and men should be, of the lives of his creatures, that no man suffer wrongfully; which is repeated again and again, that it might be observed, see Deuteronomy 17:6 but one witness shall not testify against any person, to cause him to die; which looks as if in other cases, in pecuniary matters, and the like, where life is not concerned, one witness may be sufficient; though it is always best and safest to have more if they can be had, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses everything may be established, Deuteronomy 19:15.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

By the mouth of witnesses - i. e. two witnesses, at the least (compare the marginal references). The provisions of this and the following verses protect the enactments of this chapter from abuse. The cities of refuge were not intended to exempt a criminal from deserved punishment.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 35:30. But one witness shall not testify against any — This was a just and necessary provision. One may be mistaken, or so violently prejudiced as to impose even on his own judgment, or so wicked as to endeavour through malice to compass the life of his neighbour: but it is not likely that two or more should be of this kind; and even were they, their separate examination would lead to a discovery of the truth, and to their conviction.