The big picture
Numbers 35 opens in verse 1 with “And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a…”, and closes in verse 34 with “Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD…” Repeated or prominent terms include cities, death, murderer, refuge, blood. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Numbers · King James Version · 34Numbers 35:1-7
1–7: The LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho…
Numbers 35:1–7 opens with “And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,” and reaches “So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 35 develops its own movement around cities, death, murderer, refuge, blood, with particular weight carried by cities, cubits, Levites.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,” Naming Jericho and Jordan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Numbers 35:1-7
King James Version1And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
2Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
3And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.
4And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.
5And 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.
6And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.
7So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.
Numbers 35:8-14
8–14: The cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the…
Numbers 35:8–14 opens with “And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from…” and reaches “Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 35 develops its own movement around cities, death, murderer, refuge, blood, with particular weight carried by cities, refuge, Canaan.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,” Naming Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Numbers 35:8-14
King James Version8And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.
9And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
11Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
12And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
13And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.
14Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
Numbers 35:15-21
15–21: These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and…
Numbers 35:15–21 opens with “These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and…” and reaches “Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 35 develops its own movement around cities, death, murderer, refuge, blood, with particular weight carried by murderer, death, smite.
Context that brings the passage to life
“These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Numbers 35:15-21
King James Version15These 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.
16And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
17And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
18Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
19The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
20But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;
21Or 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.
Numbers 35:22-28
22–28: If he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any…
Numbers 35:22–28 opens with “But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of…” and reaches “Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 35 develops its own movement around cities, death, murderer, refuge, blood, with particular weight carried by blood, slayer, city.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,” The line’s distinctive content terms include enmity, laying, suddenly. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy…” The line’s distinctive content terms include enemy, harm, seeing. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Numbers 35:22-28
King James Version22But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,
23Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:
24Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:
25And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
26But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;
27And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:
28Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
Numbers 35:29-34
29–34: So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout…
Numbers 35:29–34 opens with “So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all…” and reaches “Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Numbers 35 develops its own movement around cities, death, murderer, refuge, blood, with particular weight carried by land, death, blood.
Context that brings the passage to life
“So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Numbers 35:29-34
King James Version29So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30Whoso 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.
31Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.
32And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
33So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
34Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Numbers 35:1 begins with “And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Numbers 35:20 forms a natural hinge: “But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;”
The final note
Numbers 35:34 leaves the reader with “Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words cities, death, murderer, refuge, blood, city help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the return to Bethel require beyond travel?
The removal of foreign gods and a renewed orientation toward the God who answered Jacob.
Which relationships are remembered at Isaac's burial?
Both sons participate, despite their long history of rivalry.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.