Numbers 35:11

Numbers 35:11

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.

a. ASV: Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither.

b. YLT: And have prepared to yourselves cities -- cities of refuge they are to you -- then fled thither hath a man-slayer, smiting a person unawares,

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the slayer who kills any person unintentionally and unawares may flee there.

d. Septuagint: And ye shall appoint to yourselves cities: they shall be to you cities of refuge for the slayer to flee to, every one who has killed another unintentionally.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: You shall designate cities for yourselves, cities of refuge shall they be for you, and a killer shall flee there--one who takes a life unintentionally.

1. “Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you…”

a. [Then you shall] appoint [you] [Strong: 7136 qârâh, kaw-raw'; a primitive root; to light upon (chiefly by accident); causatively, to bring about; specifically, to impose timbers (for roof or floor):—appoint, lay (make) beams, befall, bring, come (to pass unto), floor, (hap) was, happen (unto), meet, send good speed.]

b. cities [Strong: 5892 ʻîyr, eer; or (in the plural) עָר ʻâr; or עָיַר ʻâyar; (Judges 10:4), from H5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):—Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

c. [to be] cities [Strong: 5892 ʻîyr, eer; or (in the plural) עָר ʻâr; or עָיַר ʻâyar; (Judges 10:4), from H5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):—Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

d. [of] refuge [for you] [Strong: 4733 miqlâṭ, mik-lawt'; from H7038 in the sense of taking in; an asylum (as a receptacle):—refuge.]

2. “...that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.”

a. [that the] slayer [Strong: 7523 râtsach, raw-tsakh'; a primitive root; properly, to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being), especially to murder:—put to death, kill, (man-) slay(-er), murder(-er).]

b. [may] flee [Strong: 5127 nûwç, noos; a primitive root; to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver):—× abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, × hide, lift up a standard.]

c. thither [Strong: 8033 sham shawm a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834); there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), + thither, + whither.]

d. [which] killeth [Strong: 5221 nâkâh, naw-kaw'; a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively):—beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), × go forward, × indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, × surely, wound.]

e. [any] person [Strong: 5315 nephesh, neh'-fesh; from H5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):—any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, × dead(-ly), desire, × (dis-) contented, × fish, ghost, greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, × jeopardy of) life (×in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, slay, soul, tablet, they, thing, (× she) will, ×would have it.]

f. [at] unawares [Strong: 7684 shᵉgâgâh, sheg-aw-gaw'; from H7683; a mistake or inadvertent transgression:—error, ignorance, at unawares; unwittingly.]

1). These cities of refuge are types and foreshadows of Christ. All of us have sinned and are worthy of death.

a). Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

b). Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

2). A believer in Christ Jesus is given a place of refuge from death because of what Christ Jesus did.

a). Hebrews 6:18   That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: