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Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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New Life Version

Numbers 35:21

or if he hit him down with his hand because he hated him and killed him, for sure the one who killed him must be put to death. He is guilty. The man who wants to punish him for the killing will put him to death when he meets him.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Avenger of Blood;   Homicide;   Punishment;   Refuge;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cities of Refuge;   Homicide;   Murder;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Murder;   Punishments;   Redeemer;   Refuge, Cities of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Kinsman-Redeemer;   Motives;   Murder;   Punishment;   Vengeance;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Kinsman;   Murder;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Avenger;   Capital Punishment;   Cities of Refuge;   Crimes and Punishments;   Murder;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Kin;   Numbers, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Refuge, Cities of;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Levi;   Refuge;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Assassination;   Enmity;   Homicide;   Murder;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Asylum;   Avenger of Blood;   Crime;   Priestly Code;   Sifre Zuá¹­a;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
or in enmity struck him with his hand, so that he died; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.
King James Version
Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
Lexham English Bible
or if he hits him in hostility with his hand, and he dies, the one that struck him will put to death the killer when meeting him.
English Standard Version
or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
New Century Version
Or a person might hit someone with his hand and cause death. If it were done from hate, the person is a murderer and must be put to death. A relative of the dead person must kill the murderer when they meet.
New English Translation
or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him.
Amplified Bible
or if, in enmity, he struck the victim down with his hand, and he died, the one that struck the victim shall certainly be put to death; he is a murderer. The blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
New American Standard Bible
or if he struck him with his hand with hostility, and as a result he died, the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer. The blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Or smite him through enimitie with his hand, that he die, he yt smote him shal die ye death: for hee is a murtherer: the reuenger of the blood shall slay the murtherer when he meeteth him.
Legacy Standard Bible
or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
Complete Jewish Bible
or out of hostility strikes him with his hand, so that he dies; then the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer; and the next-of-kin avenger is to put the murderer to death upon meeting him.
Darby Translation
or from enmity smite him with his hand, so that he die, he that smote him shall certainly be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meeteth him.—
George Lamsa Translation
Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he might die, and he did die, the murderer shall surely be put to death; the avenger of the blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meets him.
Good News Translation
or by striking him with your fist, you are guilty of murder and are to be put to death. The dead person's nearest relative has the responsibility for putting the murderer to death. When he finds you, he is to kill you.
Christian Standard Bible®
or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood is to kill the murderer when he finds him.
Literal Translation
or if he has struck him with his hand in enmity, and he dies, the striker shall certainly be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood meets him he shall put to death the murderer.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
then shal he that hath slayne him, dye the death: for he is a murthurer. The auenger of bloude shal brynge him to death, as soone as he fyndeth him.
American Standard Version
or in enmity smote him with his hand, so that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meeteth him.
Bible in Basic English
Or in hate gave him blows with his hand, causing death; he who gave the death-blow is to be put to death; he is a taker of life: he whose right it is to give punishment for blood may put to death the taker of life when he comes face to face with him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Or smyte hym with his hande of enmitie that he dye: he that smote hym shall dye the death, for he is a murtherer: the reuenger of the blood shall slay the murtherer when he meeteth hym.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death: he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meeteth him.
King James Version (1611)
Or in enmitie smite him with his hand, that he die: hee that smote him shall surely be put to death, for hee is a murderer: the reuenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when hee meeteth him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
or if he have smitten him with his hand through anger, and the man should die, let the man that smote him be put to death by all means, he is a murderer: let the murderer by all means be put to death: the avenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meets him.
English Revised Version
or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a manslayer: the avenger of blood shall put the manslayer to death, when he meeteth him.
Berean Standard Bible
or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood finds the murderer, he is to kill him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
ether whanne he was enemy, smoot with hond, and he is deed, the smytere schal be gilti of mansleyng. The kynesman `of him that is slayn, anoon as he findith him, `that is, the sleere, schal sle hym.
Young's Literal Translation
or in enmity he hath smitten him with his hand, and he dieth; the smiter is certainly put to death; he [is] a murderer; the redeemer of blood doth put the murderer to death in his coming against him.
Update Bible Version
or in enmity smote him with his hand, so that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.
Webster's Bible Translation
Or in enmity shall smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote [him] shall surely be put to death; [for] he [is] a murderer: the avenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
World English Bible
or in enmity struck him with his hand, so that he died; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.
New King James Version
or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
New Living Translation
Or if someone hates another person and hits him with a fist and he dies, it is murder. In such cases, the avenger must put the murderer to death when they meet.
New Revised Standard
or in enmity strikes another with the hand, and death ensues, then the one who struck the blow shall be put to death; that person is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when they meet.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
or if with enmity, he hath smitten him with his band and he is dead, then shall he that dealt the blow, be surely put to death. a manslayer, he is - the blood-redeemer shall put to death the man-slayer, when he lighteth upon him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Or being his enemy, strike him with his hand, and he die: the striker shall be guilty of murder: the kinsman of him that was slain as soon as he findeth him, shall kill him.
Revised Standard Version
or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death; he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

Contextual Overview

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 "Say to the people of Israel, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 choose which cities are to be the ones where you can run to be safe. The man who has killed a person without meaning to may run there. 12 The cities will be a safe place for you from the one who wants to punish you. So the one who has killed a person may not die until the people decide if he is guilty or not. 13 The cities you give will be your six cities where you can go to be safe. 14 Give three cities on the east side of the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan. They will be the cities where you can go to be safe. 15 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. 16 ‘But if he killed him with an iron object, then he is guilty. For sure the killer will be put to death. 17 If he knocked him down with a stone so that he died, he is guilty. For sure the killer will be put to death. 18 Or if he hit him with a piece of wood in his hand so that he died, he is guilty. For sure the killer will be put to death.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:14 - that Exodus 21:14 - slay Numbers 35:19 - General

Cross-References

Micah 4:8
As for you, O watch-tower of the flock, the strong-place of the people of Zion, the power you had to rule will come to you again. The nation will come to Jerusalem.
Luke 2:8
In the same country there were shepherds in the fields. They were watching their flocks of sheep at night.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die,.... Give him a blow with his fist, on some part of his body where life is most in danger, and which issues in death:

he that smote him shall surely be put to death, for he is a murderer; and therefore, according to the original law, ought to die, without reprieve or pardon; and notwithstanding this law made for cities of refuge, which were to be denied him:

the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him: that is, when he is condemned, as both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan interpret it, after a hearing and trial of his case.

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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