Numbers 35

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,	1 The LORD gave these instructions to Moses on the plains of Moab beside the Jericho stretch of the Jordan:
2 Command 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.	2 "Tell the Israelites that out of their hereditary property they shall give the Levites cities for homes, as well as pasture lands around the cities.
3 And 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.	3 The cities shall serve them to dwell in, and the pasture lands shall serve their herds and flocks and other animals.
4 And 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.	4 The pasture lands of the cities to be assigned the Levites shall extend a thousand cubits from the city walls in each direction.
5 And 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.	5 Thus you shall measure out two thousand cubits outside the city along each side-east, south, west and north-with the city lying in the center. This shall serve them as the pasture lands of their cities.
6 And 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.	6 "Now these are the cities you shall give to the Levites: the six cities of asylum which you must establish as places where a homicide can take refuge, and in addition forty-two other cities--
7 So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.	7 a total of forty-eight cities with their pasture lands to be assigned the Levites.
8 And 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.	8 In assigning the cities from the property of the Israelites, take more from a larger group and fewer from a smaller one, so that each group will cede cities to the Levites in proportion to its own heritage."
9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,	9 The LORD said to Moses,
10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;	10 "Tell the Israelites: When you go across the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.	11 select for yourselves cities to serve as cities of asylum, where a homicide who has killed someone unintentionally may take refuge.
12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.	12 These cities shall serve you as places of asylum from the avenger of blood, so that a homicide shall not be put to death unless he is first tried before the community.
13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.	13 Six cities of asylum shall you assign:
14 Ye 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.	14 three beyond the Jordan, and three in the land of Canaan.
15 These 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.	15 These six cities of asylum shall serve not only the Israelites but all the resident or transient aliens among them, so that anyone who has killed another unintentionally may take refuge there.
16 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 death.	16 "If a man strikes another with an iron instrument and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.
17 And 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.	17 If a man strikes another with a death-dealing stone in his hand and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.
18 Or 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.	18 If a man strikes another with a death-dealing club in his hand and causes his death, he is a murderer and shall be put to death.
19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.	19 The avenger of blood may execute the murderer, putting him to death on sight.
20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;	20 "If a man pushes another out of hatred, or after lying in wait for him throws something at him, and causes his death,
21 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.	21 or if he strikes another out of enmity and causes his death, he shall be put to death as a murderer. The avenger of blood may execute the murderer on sight.
22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,	22 "However, if a man pushes another accidentally and not out of enmity, or if without lying in wait for him he throws some object at him,
23 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, neither sought his harm:	23 or without seeing him throws a death-dealing stone which strikes him and causes his death, although he was not his enemy nor seeking to harm him:
24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:	24 then the community, deciding the case between the slayer and the avenger of blood in accordance with these norms,
25 And 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.	25 shall free the homicide from the avenger of blood and shall remand him to the city of asylum where he took refuge; and he shall stay there until the death of the high priest who has been anointed with sacred oil.
26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;	26 If the homicide of his own accord leaves the bounds of the city of asylum where he has taken refuge,
27 And 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:	27 and the avenger of blood finds him beyond these bounds and kills him, the avenger incurs no bloodguilt;
28 Because 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.	28 the homicide was bound to stay in his city of asylum until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest may the homicide return to his own district.
29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.	29 "These shall be norms for you and all your descendants, wherever you live, for rendering judgment.
30 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.	30 "Whenever someone kills another, the evidence of witnesses is required for the execution of the murderer. The evidence of a single witness is not sufficient for putting a person to death.
31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.	31 "You shall not accept indemnity in place of the life of a murderer who deserves the death penalty; he must be put to death.
32 And 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.	32 Nor shall you accept indemnity to allow a refugee to leave his city of asylum and again dwell elsewhere in the land before the death of the high priest.
33 So 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.	33 You shall not desecrate the land where you live. Since bloodshed desecrates the land, the land can have no atonement for the blood shed on it except through the blood of him who shed it.
34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.	34 Do not defile the land in which you live and in the midst of which I dwell; for I am the LORD who dwells in the midst of the Israelites."