Numbers 35:11 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

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.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Then you must choose cities to serve as cities of refuge for yourselves, so that anyone who accidentally kills someone can run there for safety.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is providing safe places where people who accidentally cause someone's death can find protection from revenge.

📚 Historical Context

In the ancient Israelite society, as the people were preparing to settle in the Promised Land, God provided laws through Moses to establish a structured system of justice amid a culture that often relied on family-based revenge. These laws included designating specific cities as refuges for anyone who unintentionally caused a death, allowing them to escape immediate retaliation and await a proper trial. This measure helped differentiate between accidental killings and premeditated murder, promoting fairness in a nomadic and tribal context.

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Here's the situation for someone who kills another person and can flee to these cities to save their life: If someone accidentally kills their neighbor, someone they had no previous hatred or conflict with,

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So that anyone who accidentally kills someone without meaning to can run there for safety. These cities will protect you from anyone seeking revenge for the death.

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