Numbers 35:16
14 Select three cities across the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan as cities of refuge.
15 These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or stranger among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.
If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
17 Or if anyone has in his hand a stone of deadly size, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
18 If anyone has in his hand a deadly object of wood, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- “‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
- ASV
- But if he smote him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
- DARBY
- And if he have smitten him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall certainly be put to death.
- BLB
- But if he strikes him with an iron implement and he dies, he [is] a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
- ÅB
- Den som slår noen med et jernredskap så han dør, han er en manndraper, og manndraperen skal late livet.
- OTB
- "Hvis noen slår en annen med et jernredskap og forårsaker død, er den personen en morder; morderen må dø.
- B1930
- Den som slår nogen med et jernredskap så han dør, han er en manndraper, og manndraperen skal late livet.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Leviticus 24:17
And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death.
Read in contextExodus 21:12–14
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 19:11–13
If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,
Read in contextNumbers 35:30–33
If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.
Read in contextGenesis 9:5–6
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
Read in contextNumbers 35:22–24
But if anyone pushes a person suddenly, without hostility, or throws an object at him unintentionally,
Read in context