Numbers 35:28

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.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
remained	יֵשֵׁ֔ב ye.Shev	H3427	properly · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
city	בְעִ֤יר ve.'Ir	H5892	a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the wi… · preposition + noun, common feminine singular construct
refuge	מִקְלָטוֹ֙ mik.la.To	H4733	an asylum (as a receptacle) · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
death	מ֖וֹת Mot	H4194	death (natural or violent) · noun, common masculine singular construct
high	הַגָּדֹ֑ל ha.ga.Dol	H1419	great (in any sense) · definite article + adjective, masculine singular absolute
priest	הַכֹּהֵ֣ן ha.ko.Hen	H3548	literally one officiating · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
after	וְאַחֲרֵ֥י ve.'a.cha.Rei	H310	properly · conjunction + cardinal number, masculine plural construct
death	מוֹת֙ mOt	H4194	death (natural or violent) · noun, common masculine singular construct
high	הַגָּדֹ֔ל ha.ga.Dol	H1419	great (in any sense) · definite article + adjective, masculine singular absolute
priest	הַכֹּהֵ֣ן ha.ko.Hen	H3548	literally one officiating · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
slayer	הָרֹצֵ֔חַ ha.ro.Tze.ach	H7523	properly · definite article + verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
return	יָשׁוּב֙ ya.Shuv	H7725	to turn back (hence · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
land	אֶ֖רֶץ 'E.retz	H776	the earth (at large · noun, common feminine singular construct
possession	אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ 'a.chu.za.To	H272	something seized · noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

John 15:4-6 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Acts 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lor…
Acts 27:31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Hebrews 6:4-8 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Hebrews 9:11-12 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say,…
Hebrews 9:15-17 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under…
Hebrews 10:26-30 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 35:22

But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, &c.--Under the excitement of a sudden provocation, or violent passion, an injury might be inflicted issuing in death; and for a person who had thus undesignedly committed slaughter, the Levitical cities offered the benefit of full protection. Once having reached the nearest, for one or other of them was within a day's journey of all parts of the land, he was secure. But he had to "abide in it." His confinement within its walls was a wise and salutary rule, designed to show the sanctity of human blood in God's sight, as well as to protect the manslayer himself, whose presence and intercourse…

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Adam Clarke on Numbers 35:19

The revenger of blood - גאל הדם goel haddam, the redeemer of blood; the next in blood to him who was slain. See on Num 35:12 (note).

John Gill on Numbers 35:28

Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest,.... Nothing could give him his liberty but his death; so that though this was a merciful provision made in such cases for such persons, and was a considerable benefit and privilege, yet it carried in it some appearance of a punishment; since such a person was confined within the boundaries of one of the cities of refuge as long as the high priest lived; and this was done to make persons cautious how they were any way accessory to the death of another, though without design: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession; to that part of the land, and…

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John Calvin on Numbers 35:9–end

Numbers 35:9-34 9. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, 9. Et locutus est Jehova ad Mosen dicendo: 10. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan, 10. Alloquere filios Israel, et dicas eis, Quum transieritis Jordanem in terra Chanaan, 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. 11. Constituetis vobis urbes: urbes autem refugii erunt vobis, quo fugiet homicida qui percusserit aliquem per errorem. 12. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregati…

The Church Fathers

What does it mean that a homicide returns for absolution after the death of the high priest, except that the human race, which brought death upon itself by sinning, receives absolution for its guilt after the death of the true priest, namely, our Redeemer?
— Paterius, EXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, NUMBERS 24

What does it mean that the manslayer, absolved after the death of the high priest, returns to his own land, except that the human race, which by sinning brought death upon itself, after the death of the true priest, namely our Redeemer, is loosed from the bonds of its sins and restored to the possession of paradise?
— Pacian of Barcelona, Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 6

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

City — The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have…
Law of Moses — Is the whole body of the Mosaic legislation (1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 23:25; Ezra 3:2). It is called by way of eminence simply “the Law” (Heb. Torah, Deut. 1:5; 4:8, 44; 17:18, 19; 27:3, 8). As a written…
Murder — Wilful murder was distinguished from accidental homicide, and was invariably visited with capital punishment (Num. 35:16, 18, 21, 31; Lev. 24:17). This law in its principle is founded on the fact of…
Refuge, Cities of — Were six in number (Num. 35). 1. On the west of Jordan were (1) Kadesh, in Naphtali; (2) Shechem, in Mount Ephraim; (3) Hebron, in Judah. 2. On the east of Jordan were, (1) Golan, in Bashan; (2)…
Avenger Of Blood · SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Cities Of Refuge · Those admitted to: Obliged to remain in, until the high priest’s death — Those admitted to: Obliged to remain in, until the high priest’s death
Homicide · ACCI — ACCI
Refuge · .From the avenger of bloo — .From the avenger of bloo

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Numbers 35:28

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 35:22

Adam Clarke on Numbers 35:19

John Gill on Numbers 35:28

John Calvin on Numbers 35:9–end

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Numbers 35:28

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 35:22

Adam Clarke on Numbers 35:19

John Gill on Numbers 35:28

John Calvin on Numbers 35:9–end

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Keil & Delitzsch on Numbers 35:26-28

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Numbers 35:26-29

Rashi on Numbers 35:27