Numbers Chapter 35
So God hit up Moses while he was chilling in the plains of Moab by the Jordan close to Jericho, saying,
And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan {near} Jericho, saying,
Fill the crew of Israel in on hooking up the Levites with some cities to hang out in, plus give them some dope suburbs around those spots.
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.
They’ll have spots to crash, and the suburbs will be for their livestock, stuff, and all their vibes.
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.
The suburbs you dish out to the Levites will stretch from the city walls out a thousand cubits all around.
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.
You gotta measure from outside the city, two thousand cubits on the east, south, west, and north sides; the city will be in the center, that’s their suburbs.
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.
Among the cities you give to the Levites, there’ll be six hangouts for anyone looking to escape; plus, add on forty-two more cities.
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. {to them...: Heb. above them ye shall give}
So all the cities you give to the Levites will total forty-eight, suburbs included.
{So} all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites {shall be} forty and eight cities: them {shall ye give} with their suburbs.
The cities you give will come from the crew of Israel: give more from the ones who got stacks, and less from those with little; everyone’s gotta share their cities with the Levites based on their resources.
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. {he...: Heb. they inherit}
Then God hit up Moses again, saying,
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Let the crew of Israel know, when you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan;
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
For real, you gotta set up some cities as safe spots where anyone who accidentally takes a life can bounce to.
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. {at...: Heb. by error}
These cities will be your safe zones from the avenger, so the manslayer doesn’t get got until they face the crew for judgment.
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.
Outta these cities, you’re getting six for refuge, no cap.
And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.
Three cities will be on this side of the Jordan, and three in Canaan, all set to be safe havens.
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.
These six cities are lit for the kids of Israel, the outsiders, and anyone passing through, so anyone who accidentally kills can dip there.
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.
If someone takes another out with iron, that’s straight-up murder: they’re getting the death penalty, fact.
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.
If they throw a stone and it leads to death, that’s murder too: they’re getting the death penalty, for real.
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. {with...: Heb. with a stone of the hand}
Or if they use a wooden weapon and it causes death, that’s murder, and they’re getting the death penalty, no doubt.
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.
The blood avenger is coming for that murderer: when they meet, it’s game over for them.
The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
But if they attack out of pure hate or set someone up, and that person dies;
But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;
If you lowkey take someone out, that's a whole murder vibe; the one who did it is getting served justice, for real.
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.
But if it was a complete accident, no bad vibes, just a slip-up, then it’s chill.
But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,
Or if you throw a rock and it accidentally hits someone, causing death, but you weren’t enemies or trying to hurt them, that’s sus.
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:
Then the crew needs to figure out what’s good between the one who did it and the blood avenger based on these rules.
Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:
The squad will help the one who messed up escape from the avenger and send them back to their safe spot until the high priest kicks the bucket.
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 one who messed up bounces out of their safe zone at any time,
But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;
And the avenger finds them outside and takes them out, they ain't gonna face trouble for that.
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: {he...: Heb. no blood shall be to him}
'Cause they should’ve stayed in their safe zone until the high priest is gone; after that, they can head back to their own land.
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.
So these rules are forever for you all, no cap, in every place you vibe.
So these {things} shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Anyone who takes a life gets taken out by the crew of witnesses, but one witness can’t just snitch to get someone killed.
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.
For real, you can't vibe over a murderer’s life; they gotta face the consequences, period.
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. {guilty...: Heb. faulty to die}
And you can't just chill with the dude who ran to the city of safety; he ain't coming back till the priest kicks it.
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.
Don’t mess up the land you’re living in; blood makes it sus, and it can’t be cleaned up unless the one who spilled it owns up.
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. {the land cannot...: Heb. there can be no expiation for the land}
So keep the land where I'm chilling clean, 'cause I, the Lord, be vibing with the kids of Israel.
Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.