Numbers 35:12

New Living Translation

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.

Cross References

2 Samuel 14:7

Now the rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn’t deserve to inherit his family’s property.’ They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband’s name and family will disappear from the face of the earth.”

Numbers 35:13

Designate six cities of refuge for yourselves,

Numbers 35:19

The victim’s nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer to death.

Deuteronomy 19:4

“If someone kills another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, the slayer may flee to any of these cities to live in safety.

Deuteronomy 19:6

“If the distance to the nearest city of refuge is too far, an enraged avenger might be able to chase down and kill the person who caused the death. Then the slayer would die unfairly, since he had never shown hostility toward the person who died.

Joshua 20:2

“Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses.

Joshua 20:9

These cities were set apart for all the Israelites as well as the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed another person could take refuge in one of these cities. In this way, they could escape being killed in revenge prior to standing trial before the local assembly.