Numbers 35 · Verse 12

Numbers 35:12

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.
Numbers 35:12, King James Version

Numbers 35:12 in other translations

BSBYou are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
WEBThe cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
ASVAnd the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment.
YLTand 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.
DARBYAnd ye shall have these cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment.
BBEIn these towns you may be safe from him who has the right of punishment; so that death may not overtake the taker of life till he has been judged by the meeting of the people.
WebsterAnd they shall be to you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the man-slayer may not die, until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

What does Numbers 35:12 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Until he stand before the congregation in judgment - So one of these cities was not a perpetual asylum; It was only a pro tempore refuge, till the case could be fairly examined by the magistrates in the presence of the people, or the elders their representatives; and this was done in the city or place where he had done the murder, Jos 20:4, Jos 20:6. If he was found worthy of death, they delivered him to the avenger that he might be slain, Deu 19:12; if not, they sent him back to the city of refuge, where he remained till the death of the high priest, Num 35:25. Before the cities of refuge were appointed, the altar appears to have been a sanctuary for those who had killed a person unwittingly; see on Exo 21:13 (note), and Exo 21:14 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 35:9-34

To show plainly the abhorrence of murder, and to provide the more effectually for the punishment of the murderer, the nearest relation of the deceased, under the title of avenger of blood, (or the redeemer of blood,) in notorious cases, might pursue, and execute vengeance. A distinction is made, not between sudden anger and malice aforethought, both which are the crime of murder; but between intentionally striking a…

Read the full comment on Numbers 35:9-34 →

Numbers 35:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהָי֨וּve.ha.Yuand they will becomeH1961
לָכֶ֧םla.Khemfor <the> you
הֶעָרִ֛יםhe.'a.Rimthe citiesH5892
לְמִקְלָ֖טle.mik.Lat<into> a refugeH4733
מִגֹּאֵ֑לmi.go.'Elfrom an avengerH1350
וְלֹ֤אve.Lo'and notH3808
יָמוּת֙ya.Muthe will dieH4191
הָרֹצֵ֔חַha.ro.Tze.achthe killerH7523
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
עָמְד֛וֹa.me.Dostands heH5975
לִפְנֵ֥יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440
הָעֵדָ֖הha.'e.Dahthe congregationH5712
לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט\׃la.mish.Patfor <the> judgmentH4941

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 35:12

  • Deuteronomy 19:6

    Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

  • Joshua 20:3-6

    That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime. And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.

  • Joshua 20:9

    These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

  • 2 Samuel 14:7

    And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.

  • Numbers 35:24-27

    Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 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. But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 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:

  • Numbers 35:19

    The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

  • Deuteronomy 19:11-12

    But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
from the avenger.
19,25-27; De 19:6; Jos 20:3-6,9; 2Sa 14:7
until he stand.
24; De 19:11,12; Jos 20:4-6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 35:11

    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.

  • Numbers 35:12

    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.

  • Numbers 35:13

    And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.

Read all of Numbers 35

Numbers 35:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y os serán aquellas ciudades por acogimiento del pariente, y no morirá el homicida hasta que esté á juicio delante de la congregación.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ce seront pour vous des villes de refuge de devant le vengeur, afin que l’homicide ne meure point qu’il n’ait comparu en jugement devant l’assemblée.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Städte sollen euch zur Zuflucht sein vor dem Rächer, daß der Totschläger nicht sterbe, bis er vor der Gemeinde gestanden hat zum Gericht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		in quibus cum fuerit profugus, cognatus occisi non poterit eum occidere, donec stet in conspectu multitudinis, et causa illius judicetur.