Numbers 35:33

New International Reader's Version

“ ‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Murder pollutes the land. Only one thing can pay to remove the pollution in the land where murder has been committed. The blood of the one who spilled another’s blood must be spilled.

Cross References

Genesis 4:10

The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.

Genesis 9:6

“Anyone who murders a human being will be killed by a human being. That is because I have made human beings so that they are like me.

2 Samuel 21:9

King David handed them over to the people of Gibeon. They killed them. They put their dead bodies out in the open on a hill in the sight of the Lord. All seven of them died together. They were put to death during the first days of the harvest. It happened just when people were beginning to harvest the barley.

2 Samuel 3:29

May Joab and his whole family line be held accountable for spilling Abner’s blood! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has an open sore or skin disease. May his family never be without someone who has to use a crutch to walk. May his family never be without someone who gets killed by a sword. And may his family never be without someone who doesn’t have enough to eat.”

1 Kings 2:31

Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do what he says. Strike him down and bury him. Then I and my family line won’t be held accountable for the blood Joab spilled. He killed people who weren’t guilty of doing anything wrong.

2 Kings 23:26

In spite of that, the Lord didn’t turn away from his great anger against Judah. That’s because of everything Manasseh had done to make him very angry.

2 Kings 24:4

Manasseh had spilled the blood of many people who weren’t guilty of doing anything wrong. In fact, he spilled so much of their blood that he filled Jerusalem with it. So the Lord refused to forgive him.

2 Chronicles 23:15

So they grabbed her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds. There they put her to death.

Psalm 106:28

They joined in worshiping the Baal that was worshiped at Peor. They ate food that had been offered to gods that aren’t even alive.

Psalm 106:38

They killed those who weren’t guilty of doing anything wrong. They killed their own sons and daughters. They sacrificed them as offerings to statues of the gods of Canaan. The land became “unclean” because of the blood of their children.

Isaiah 24:5

The earth is polluted by its people. They haven’t obeyed the laws of the Lord. They haven’t done what he told them to do. They’ve broken the covenant that will last forever.

Isaiah 26:21

He is coming from the place where he lives. He will punish the people of the earth for their sins. The blood spilled on the earth will be brought out into the open. The ground will no longer hide those who have been killed.

Jeremiah 16:18

I will pay them back double for their sin and the evil things they have done. They have made my land ‘unclean.’ They have set up lifeless statues of their evil gods. They have filled my land with them. I hate those gods.”

Jeremiah 26:15

But you can be sure of one thing. If you put me to death, you will be held responsible for spilling my blood. And I haven’t even done anything wrong. You will bring guilt on yourselves and this city and those who live in it. The Lord has sent me to you. He wanted me to say all these things so you could hear them. And that’s the truth.”

Leviticus 18:25

Even their land was not “clean.” So I punished it because of its sin. The land itself threw out the people who lived there.

Micah 4:11

But now many nations have gathered together to attack you. They say, “Let Jerusalem be made ‘unclean.’ We want to laugh when Zion suffers!”

Numbers 35:32

“ ‘Do not accept payment for anyone who has run to a city for safety. Do not let them buy their freedom to return home. They must not go back and live on their own land before the high priest dies.

Deuteronomy 19:10

Do it to protect those not guilty of murder. Then you won’t spill their blood in your land. It’s the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own.

Deuteronomy 19:13

Don’t feel sorry for him. He has killed someone who hadn’t done anything wrong. Crimes like that must be punished in Israel. Then things will go well with you.

Deuteronomy 21:23

Then you must not leave the body on the pole all night. Make sure you bury it that same day. Everyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not make the land “unclean.” The Lord your God is giving it to you as your own.

Judges 9:24

God made that happen because of what Abimelek had done to Jerub-Baal’s 70 sons. He had spilled their blood. God wanted to punish their brother Abimelek for doing that. He also wanted to punish the citizens of Shechem. They had helped Abimelek murder his brothers.