ImmerseBeginnings NLT - Page 279



35:6-25
N u mbers
267
“Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, where a
person who has accidentally killed someone can flee for safety. In addition,
give them ­forty-­two other towns. In all, ­forty-­eight towns with the surrounding pastureland will be given to the Levites. These towns will come
from the property of the people of Israel. The larger tribes will give more
towns to the Levites, while the smaller tribes will give fewer. Each tribe
will give property in proportion to the size of its land.”
The Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people
of Israel.
“When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, designate cities of
refuge to which people can flee if they have killed someone accidentally.
These cities will be places of protection from a dead person’s relatives who
want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be put to death before being
tried by the community. Designate six cities of refuge for yourselves, three
on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west in the land of
Canaan. 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.
“But if someone strikes and kills another person with a piece of iron,
it is murder, and the murderer must be executed. Or if someone with a
stone in his hand strikes and kills another person, it is murder, and the
murderer must be put to death. Or if someone strikes and kills another
person with a wooden object, it is murder, and the murderer must be
put to death. The victim’s nearest relative is responsible for putting the
murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer
to death. So if someone hates another person and waits in ambush, then
pushes him or throws something at him and he dies, it is murder. 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.
“But suppose someone pushes another person without having shown
previous hostility, or throws something that unintentionally hits another
person, or accidentally drops a huge stone on someone, though they were
not enemies, and the person dies. If this should happen, the community
must follow these regulations in making a judgment between the slayer
and the avenger, the victim’s nearest relative: The community must protect
the slayer from the avenger and must escort the slayer back to live in the
city of refuge to which he fled. There he must remain until the death of
the high priest, who was anointed with the sacred oil.





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