Numbers Chapter 35
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
2
And Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
3
And they warred against Midian, as Jehovah commanded Moses; and they slew every male.
4
And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
5
And the children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey.
6
And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.
7
And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of beast.
8
And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and unto Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho.
9
And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.
10
And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war.
11
And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
12
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Jehovah.
13
Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
14
But all the women-children, that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
15
And encamp ye without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, ye and your captives.
16
And as to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’
17
hair, and all things made of wood, ye shall purify yourselves.
18
And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war that went to the battle, This is the statute of the law which Jehovah hath commanded Moses:
19
howbeit the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
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everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.
21
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean; and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
22
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
23
Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers’
24
houses of the congregation;
25
and divide the prey into two parts: between the men skilled in war, that went out to battle, and all the congregation.
26
And levy a tribute unto Jehovah of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred,
27
both of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the flocks:
28
take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for Jehovah’s heave-offering.
29
And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the asses, and of the flocks,
30
even of all the cattle, and give them unto the Levites, that keep the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah.
31
And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Jehovah commanded Moses.
32
Now the prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,
33
and threescore and twelve thousand oxen,
34
and threescore and one thousand asses,
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan of Jericho, saying,
2
Command the children of Israel, that of the inheritance of their possession they give unto the Levites cities to dwell in; and a suburb for the cities round about them shall ye give unto the Levites.
3
And the cities shall they have to dwell in, and their suburbs shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.
4
And the suburbs of the cities that ye shall give unto the Levites shall be from the walls of the city outward, a thousand cubits round about.
5
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.
6
And [among] the cities that ye shall give unto the Levites [shall be] the six cities of refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither, — and besides them ye shall give forty-two cities:
7
all the cities that ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, they and their suburbs.
8
And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have much ye shall take much, and from them that have little ye shall take little; each one according to his inheritance which he will inherit shall give of his cities to the Levites.
9
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
10
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11
then ye shall appoint for yourselves cities: cities of refuge shall they be for you; that a manslayer may flee thither, who without intent smiteth a person mortally.
12
And ye shall have these cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment.
13
And the cities that ye shall give shall be six cities of refuge for you.
14
Three cities shall ye give on this side of the Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge.
15
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.
16
And if he have smitten him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall certainly be put to death.
17
And if he have smitten him with a stone from the hand, wherewith one may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall certainly be put to death.
18
Or if he have smitten him with an instrument of wood, in the hand, wherewith one may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall certainly be put to death;
19
the avenger of blood, he shall put the murderer to death; when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death.
20
And if he thrust at him out of hatred, or hurl at him intentionally, so that he die,
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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. —
22
But if he have thrust at him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him anything unintentionally,
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or [have smitten him] with any stone wherewith one may die, without seeing him, and have cast it upon him so that he die, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:
24
then the assembly shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these judgments;
25
and the assembly shall rescue the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the assembly shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he had fled; and he shall abide in it until the death of the high-priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
26
But if the manslayer shall in any way come outside the limits of the city of his refuge whither he hath fled,
27
and the avenger of blood find him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kill the manslayer, there shall be no blood-guiltiness upon him;
28
for the manslayer should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high-priest; but after the death of the high-priest he may return into the land of his possession.
29
And this shall be unto you a statute of right throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30
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.
31
And ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall certainly be put to death.
32
And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that hath fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
33
And ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood, it polluteth the land; and there can be no atonement made for the land, for the blood that hath been shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
34
And ye shall not defile the land that ye inhabit, in the midst whereof I dwell; for I am Jehovah who dwell in the midst of the children of Israel.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
And the Lord spoke to Moses to the west of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
2
Give orders to the children of Israel, and they shall give to the Levites cities to dwell in from the lot of their possession, and they shall give to the Levites the suburbs of the cities round about them.
3
And the cities shall be for them to dwell in, and their enclosures shall be for their cattle and all their beasts.
4
And the suburbs of the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outwards two thousand cubits round about.
5
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].
6
And ye shall give the cities to the Levites, the six cities of refuge which ye shall give for the slayer to flee thither, and in addition to these, forty-two cities.
7
Ye shall give to the Levites in all forty-eight cities, them and their suburbs.
8
And as for the cities which ye shall give out of the possession of the children of Israel, from those [that have] much [ye shall give] much, and from those that have less ye shall give less: they shall give of their cities to the Levites each one according to his inheritance which they shall inherit.
9
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
10
Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Ye are to cross over Jordan into the land of Chanaan.
11
And ye shall appoint to yourselves cities: they shall be to you cities of refuge for the slayer to flee to, every one who has killed another unintentionally.
12
And the cities shall be to you places of refuge from the avenger of blood, and the slayer shall not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
13
And the cities which ye shall assign, [even] the six cities, shall be places of refuge for you.
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Ye shall assign three cities on the other side of Jordan, and ye shall assign three cities in the land of Chanaan.
15
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.
16
And if he should smite him with an iron instrument, and the man should die, he is a murderer; let the murderer by all means be put to death.
17
And if he should smite him with a stone [thrown] from his hand, whereby a man may die, and he [thus] die, he is a murderer; let the murderer by all means be put to death.
18
And if he should smite him with an instrument of wood from his hand, whereby he may die, and he [thus] die, he is a murderer; let the murderer by all means be put to death.
19
The avenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: whensoever he shall meet him he shall slay him.
20
And if he should thrust him through enmity, or cast any thing upon him from an ambuscade, and the man should die,
21
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.
22
But if he should thrust him suddenly, not through enmity, or cast any thing upon him, not from an ambuscade,
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or [smite him] with any stone, whereby a man may die, unawares, and it should fall upon him, and he should die, but he was not his enemy, nor sought to hurt him;
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then the assembly shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood, according to these judgments.
25
And the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he fled for refuge; and he shall dwell there till the death of the high-priest, whom they anointed with the holy oil.
26
But if the slayer should in any wise go out beyond the bounds of the city whither he fled for refuge,
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and the avenger of blood should find him without the bounds of the city of his refuge, and the avenger of blood should kill the slayer, he is not guilty.
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For he ought to have remained in the city of refuge till the high-priest died; and after the death of the high-priest the slayer shall return to the land of his possession.
29
And these things shall be to you for an ordinance of judgment throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30
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.
31
And ye shall not accept ransoms for life from a murderer who is worthy of death, for he shall be surely put to death.
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Ye shall not accept a ransom [to excuse] his fleeing to the city of refuge, so that he should again dwell in the land, until the death of the high-priest.
33
So shall ye not pollute with murder the land in which ye dwell; for this blood pollutes the land, and the land shall not be purged from the blood shed upon it, but by the blood of him that shed it.
34
And ye shall not defile the land whereon ye dwell, on which I dwell in the midst of you; for I am the Lord dwelling in the midst of the children of Israel.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Hæc quoque locutus est Dominus ad Moysen in campestribus Moab supra Iordanem, contra Iericho:
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Præcipe filiis Israel ut dent Levitis de possessionibus suis
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urbes ad habitandum, et suburbana earum per circuitum: ut ipsi in oppidis maneant, et suburbana sint pecoribus ac iumentis:
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quæ a muris civitatum forinsecus, per circuitum, mille passuum spatio tendentur.
5
contra Orientem duo millia erunt cubiti, et contra Meridiem similiter erunt duo millia: ad mare quoque, quod respicit ad Occidentem, eadem mensura erit, et septentrionalis plaga æquali termino finietur. eruntque urbes in medio, et foris suburbana.
6
De ipsis autem oppidis, quæ Levitis dabitis, sex erunt in fugitivorum auxilia separata, ut fugiat ad ea qui fuderit sanguinem: et exceptis his, alia quadraginta duo oppida,
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id est, simul quadraginta octo cum suburbanis suis.
8
Ipsæque urbes, quæ dabuntur de possessionibus filiorum Israel, ab his, qui plus habent, plures auferentur: et qui minus, pauciores. singuli iuxta mensuram hereditatis suæ dabunt oppida Levitis.
9
Ait Dominus ad Moysen:
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Loquere filiis Israel, et dices ad eos: Quando transgressi fueritis Iordanem in Terram Chanaan,
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decernite quæ urbes esse debeant in præsidia fugitivorum, qui nolentes sanguinem fuderint:
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in quibus cum fuerit profugus, cognatus occisi non poterit eum occidere, donec stet in conspectu multitudinis, et causa illius iudicetur.
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De ipsis autem urbibus, quæ ad fugitivorum subsidia separantur,
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tres erunt trans Iordanem, et tres in Terra Chanaan,
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tam filiis Israel quam advenis atque peregrinis, ut confugiat ad eas qui nolens sanguinem fuderit.
16
Si quis ferro percusserit, et mortuus fuerit qui percussus est: reus erit homicidii, et ipse morietur.
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Si lapidem iecerit, et ictus occubuerit: similiter punietur.
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Si ligno percussus interierit: percussoris sanguine vindicabitur.
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Propinquus occisi, homicidam interficiet, statim ut apprehenderit eum, interficiet.
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Si per odium quis hominem impulerit, vel iecerit quippiam in eum per insidias:
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aut cum esset inimicus, manu percusserit, et ille mortuus fuerit: percussor, homicidii reus erit. cognatus occisi statim ut invenerit eum, iugulabit.
22
Quod si fortuitu, et absque odio,
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et inimicitiis quidquam horum fecerit,
24
et hoc audiente populo fuerit comprobatum, atque inter percussorem et propinquum sanguinis quæstio ventilata:
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liberabitur innocens de ultoris manu, et reducetur per sententiam in urbem, ad quam confugerat, manebitque ibi, donec sacerdos magnus, qui oleo sancto unctus est, moriatur.
26
Si interfector extra fines urbium, quæ exulibus deputatæ sunt,
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fuerit inventus, et percussus ab eo qui ultor est sanguinis: absque noxa erit qui eum occiderit.
28
debuerat enim profugus usque ad mortem Pontificis in urbe residere. postquam autem ille obierit, homicida revertetur in terram suam.
29
Hæc sempiterna erunt, et legitima in cunctis habitationibus vestris.
30
Homicida sub testibus punietur: ad unius testimonium nullus condemnabitur.
31
Non accipietis pretium ab eo, qui reus est sanguinis, statim et ipse morietur.
32
Exules et profugi ante mortem Pontificis nullo modo in urbes suas reverti poterunt:
33
ne polluatis terram habitationis vestræ, quæ insontium cruore maculatur: nec aliter expiari potest, nisi per eius sanguinem, qui alterius sanguinem fuderit.
34
Atque ita emundabitur vestra possessio, me commorante vobiscum. ego enim sum Dominus qui habito inter filios Israel.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
2
“Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites cities to dwell in out of their inheritance. You shall give pasture lands for the cities around them to the Levites.
3
They shall have the cities to dwell in. Their pasture lands shall be for their livestock, and for their possessions, and for all their animals.
4
“The pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits around it.
5
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 middle. This shall be the pasture lands of their cities.
6
“The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the man slayer to flee to. Besides them you shall give forty-two cities.
7
All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities together with their pasture lands.
8
Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many, and from the few you shall take few. Everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give some of his cities to the Levites.”
9
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
10
“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11
then you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.
12
The cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
13
The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.
14
You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and you shall give three cities in the land of Canaan. They shall be cities of refuge.
15
These six cities shall be refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreigner living among them, that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.
16
“‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
17
If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
18
Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
19
The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death. When he meets him, he shall put him to death.
20
If he shoved him out of hatred, or hurled something at him while lying in wait, so that he died,
21
or in hostility 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.
22
“‘But if he shoved him suddenly without hostility, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait,
23
or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him so that he died, and he was not his enemy and not seeking his harm,
24
then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.
25
The congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he had fled. He shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
26
“‘But if the man slayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge where he flees,
27
and the avenger of blood finds him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the man slayer, he shall not be guilty of blood,
28
because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the man slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
29
“‘These things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30
“‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain based on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify alone against any person so that he dies.
31
“‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death. He shall surely be put to death.
32
“‘You shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.
33
“‘So you shall not pollute the land where you live; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it.
34
You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, where I dwell; for I, the LORD, dwell among the children of Israel.’”
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, <FI>near<Fi> Jericho, saying,
2
`Command the sons of Israel, and they have given to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to inhabit; also a suburb for the cities round about them ye do give to the Levites.
3
And the cities have been to them to inhabit, and their suburbs are for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.
4
`And the suburbs of the cities which ye give to the Levites <FI>are<Fi> , from the wall of the city and without, a thousand cubits round about.
5
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 <FI>is<Fi> in the midst; this is to them the suburbs of the cities.
6
`And the cities which ye give to the Levites <FI>are<Fi> the six cities of refuge, which ye give for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, and besides them ye give forty and two cities;
7
all the cities which ye give to the Levites <FI>are<Fi> forty and eight cities, them and their suburbs.
8
And the cities which ye give <FI>are<Fi> of the possession of the sons of Israel, from the many ye multiply, and from the few ye diminish; each, according to his inheritance which they inherit, doth give of his cities to the Levites.'
9
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
10
`Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye are passing over the Jordan to the land of Canaan,
11
and have prepared to yourselves cities--cities of refuge they are to you--then fled thither hath a man-slayer, smiting a person unawares,
12
and the cities have been to you for a refuge from the redeemer, and the man-slayer doth not die till his standing before the company for judgment.
13
`As to the cities which ye give--six <FI>are<Fi> cities of refuge to you;
14
the three of the cities ye give beyond the Jordan, and the three of the cities ye give in the land of Canaan; cities of refuge they are.
15
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.
16
`And if with an instrument of iron he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he <FI>is<Fi> a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death.
17
`And if with a stone <FI>in<Fi> the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he <FI>is<Fi> a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death.
18
`Or with a wooden instrument <FI>in<Fi> the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he <FI>is<Fi> a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death.
19
`The redeemer of blood himself doth put the murderer to death; in his coming against him he doth put him to death.
20
`And if in hatred he thrust him through, or hath cast <FI>anything<Fi> at him by lying in wait, and he dieth;
21
or in enmity he hath smitten him with his hand, and he dieth; the smiter is certainly put to death; he <FI>is<Fi> a murderer; the redeemer of blood doth put the murderer to death in his coming against him.
22
`And if, in an instant, without enmity, he hath thrust him through, or hath cast at him any instrument, without lying in wait;
23
or with any stone wherewith he dieth, without seeing, and causeth <FI>it<Fi> to fall upon him, and he dieth, and he <FI>is<Fi> not his enemy, nor seeking his evil;
24
then have the company judged between the smiter and the redeemer of blood, by these judgments.
25
`And the company have delivered the man-slayer out of the hand of the redeemer of blood, and the company have caused him to turn back unto the city of his refuge, whither he hath fled, and he hath dwelt in it till the death of the chief priest, who hath been anointed with the holy oil.
26
`And if the man-slayer at all go out <FI>from<Fi> the border of the city of his refuge whither he fleeth,
27
and the redeemer of blood hath found him at the outside of the border of the city of his refuge, and the redeemer of blood hath slain the man-slayer, blood is not for him;
28
for in the city of his refuge he doth dwell till the death of the chief priest; and after the death of the chief priest doth the man-slayer turn back unto the city of his possession.
29
`And these things have been to you for a statute of judgment to your generations, in all your dwellings:
30
whoso smiteth a person, by the mouth of witnesses doth <FI>one<Fi> slay the murderer; and one witness doth not testify against a person--to die.
31
`And ye take no atonement for the life of a murderer who <FI>is<Fi> condemned--to die, for he is certainly put to death;
32
and ye take no atonement for him to flee unto the city of his refuge, to turn back to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
33
`And ye profane not the land which ye <FI>are<Fi> in, for blood profaneth the land; as to the land, it is not pardoned for blood which is shed in it except by the blood of him who sheddeth it;
34
and ye defile not the land in which ye are dwelling, in the midst of which I do tabernacle, for I Jehovah do tabernacle in the midst of the sons of Israel.'
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).