Numbers 35:12

New International Reader's Version

They will be places of safety for them. People will be safe there from those who want to kill them. Then anyone charged with murder will not die before their case has been brought to the community court.

Cross References

2 Samuel 14:7

Now my whole family group has risen up against me. They say, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother. Then we can put him to death for killing his brother. That will also get rid of the one who will receive the family property.’ They want to kill the only living son I have left, just as someone would put out a burning coal. That would leave my husband without any son on the face of the earth to carry on the family name.”

Numbers 35:13

Six towns will be the cities you can go to for safety.

Numbers 35:19

The dead person’s nearest male relative must kill the murderer. When he meets up with him, he must kill the murderer.

Deuteronomy 19:4

Here is the rule about a person who kills someone. That person can run to one of those cities for safety. The rule applies to anyone who kills a neighbor they didn’t hate and didn’t mean to kill.

Deuteronomy 19:6

If he doesn’t go to one of those cities, the dead man’s nearest male relative might become very angry. He might chase the man. If the city is too far away, he might catch him and kill him. But the man running to the city isn’t worthy of death, because he didn’t hate his neighbor.

Joshua 20:2

“Tell the Israelites to choose the cities to go to for safety, just as I directed you through Moses.

Joshua 20:9

Suppose you kill someone by accident. Or another Israelite does it. Or an outsider who lives among you does it. Then any of you can run for safety to one of these cities that have been chosen. There you won’t be killed by the nearest male relative of the person killed by accident. First your case must be brought to the community court.