Numbers 35 25

Numbers 35:25 kjv

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.

Numbers 35:25 nkjv

So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

Numbers 35:25 niv

The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

Numbers 35:25 esv

And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

Numbers 35:25 nlt

The community must protect the slayer from the avenger and must escort the slayer back to live in the city of refuge to which he fled. There he must remain until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the sacred oil.

Numbers 35 verses

Numbers 35 25 Meaning

Numbers 35:25 establishes a crucial legal and theological principle for ancient Israel regarding unintentional homicide. It dictates that the assembly of Israel (the congregation) is responsible for safeguarding a person who has accidentally killed someone from immediate retribution by the avenger of blood. This protection involves restoring the accidental slayer to a designated "city of refuge" where they must reside. The term of their stay in this sanctuary is fixed: they can only leave freely and without fear of the avenger of blood upon the death of the reigning High Priest, who was consecrated with holy oil. This provision ensured a balanced system of justice and mercy, prevented blood feuds, upheld communal responsibility, and symbolically linked the High Priest's sacred office and his very life to the purity of the land and the cleansing from inadvertent defilement.

Numbers 35 25 Context

Numbers chapter 35, following the detailed instructions for Israel's journey and initial settlement, lays down critical civil laws that govern their life in the promised land. Specifically, it addresses the provision of forty-eight cities for the Levitical tribes throughout Israel, six of which were designated as "cities of refuge." This chapter outlines the severe penalties for intentional murder while establishing a gracious, divinely sanctioned system for distinguishing between premeditated killing and accidental homicide. It sets a structured legal process for determining culpability, thereby preventing anarchic blood vengeance. Verse 25 stands at the heart of this legal framework, detailing the precise responsibilities of the community (the congregation) in protecting the innocent, defining the specific terms of their confinement, and crucially, linking their eventual release to the life and death of the High Priest. This law underscores Israel's commitment to justice tempered with mercy, preventing land defilement (Nu 35:33-34) and ensuring societal stability through adherence to God's commandments.

Numbers 35 25 Word analysis

• And (Waw): A conjunctive particle, linking this specific directive about the slayer's treatment to the preceding discussions of homicide types and the establishment of refuge cities.
• the congregation (ha-ʿēḏâ): Refers to the collective assembly of Israel, acting as a judicial body. This emphasizes corporate responsibility and justice administered by the community, reflecting God's order, contrasting with individual revenge or chaotic retaliation.
• shall rescue (nāṣal): To deliver, snatch away, save. Implies active and protective intervention by the congregation to safeguard the slayer from unlawful harm or premature retribution, underscoring their legal and moral obligation.
• the slayer (ha-rōṣēaḥ): The "manslayer" or unintentional killer. The Hebrew distinguishes this individual from a deliberate murderer (mĕraṣṣēaḥ), who would receive no such refuge or clemency. This nuance is crucial to the passage's entire purpose.
• out of the hand (miyyad): Signifies out of the control, power, or direct physical grasp of another. It speaks of liberation from threat.
• of the avenger of blood (gōʾēl ha-dām): The nearest male kinsman responsible for upholding family honor and seeking retribution for bloodshed. This ancient custom is here regulated by divine law, limiting the avenger's power to operate only under specific judicial conditions, rather than being allowed to act arbitrarily.
• and the congregation shall restore him (wĕhešîbû ʾôtô ha-ʿēḏâ): The verb "restore" means to return to a rightful or appointed place. The repetition of "the congregation" stresses their ongoing authority and responsibility in maintaining the legal and geographical integrity of the system.
• to the city of his refuge (ʾel ʿîr miqlaṭô): A specially designated sanctuary city, offering asylum and protection. Miqlaṭ means "asylum" or "receiving place," providing a structured and divinely appointed haven for the unintentional killer.
• whither he was fled (ʾăšer nās šāmmâ): Reinforces that the slayer had already sought initial asylum by fleeing to a city of refuge, demonstrating an awareness of their situation and compliance with legal protocol. This implies seeking the proper legal course.
• and he shall abide therein (wĕyāšab šām): Indicates a mandated residence or confinement within the city's boundaries. It's not a mere option but a required protective custody; leaving could mean forfeiture of protection and death by the avenger's hand (Nu 35:26-27).
• unto the death (ʿaḏ môṯ): Until the time of the passing of. This fixed term highlights a deeply symbolic period linked to the High Priest's life, not an arbitrary timeline.
• of the high priest (hakōhēn hagāḏôl): The chief spiritual leader of Israel, serving as the mediator between God and the nation, whose life symbolically represented the spiritual state of the whole community and bore its burdens.
• which was anointed (ʾăšer māšaḥ): Set apart or consecrated through a sacred ritual. This refers to the special act of anointing with holy oil.
• with the holy oil (bāšeman haqqōdeš): The sacred anointing oil (Ex 30:22-33) used exclusively for priests and holy items, symbolizing their divine election, spiritual authority, and ceremonial purity.

Words-group analysis:

• "the congregation shall rescue the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood": This phrase directly pits structured, communal justice against personal, unregulated vengeance. The "congregation" acting to "rescue" implies a decisive, active role in establishing legal order and preventing escalating bloodshed within the Israelite community, thereby elevating divine law above ancient Near Eastern blood feuds.
• "and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled": This highlights the formal, judicial aspect of the process. It's not just a flight for survival but a legal disposition managed by the community. The "restoration" back to the very place they sought asylum validates their initial action and entrenches their continued legal protection, though also their confinement.
• "and he shall abide therein unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil": This climactic clause reveals the unique theological and redemptive element. The High Priest, through his anointing, embodies the nation's spiritual purity and is the vehicle for atonement. His life somehow atones for or "purges" the land of the defilement caused by innocent blood, enabling the accidental slayer's eventual return to their family land. This points to the concept of vicarious cleansing and prefigures the ultimate atoning death of Jesus Christ.

Numbers 35 25 Bonus section

• Geographical Placement: The Cities of Refuge were strategically distributed throughout the land (Dt 19:3) to be easily accessible to anyone fleeing, demonstrating God's gracious foresight and intention that refuge should indeed be readily available.
• No Commercial Value: Unlike some other ancient near-eastern laws where monetary compensation (blood money) could absolve an unintentional slayer, the Israelite law required strict confinement until the High Priest's death. This highlighted the sanctity of human life and prevented the wealthy from simply buying their freedom from the consequences of bloodshed.
• Symbolic Exile: While a refuge, the city was also a place of confinement, representing a form of 'exile' for the slayer. It served as a constant reminder of the gravity of the unintended death they caused, emphasizing that even unintentional acts have serious consequences, yet God provides a path for restoration and atonement.
• High Priest's Intercession: Some traditions suggest that the slayer's fate being tied to the High Priest might have encouraged the slayer to pray for the High Priest's continued life, fostering a connection to national spirituality and highlighting the priest's essential intercessory role.
• Types of Deliverance: This verse points to two types of "deliverance" from death: first, rescue from the literal avenger of blood, and second, symbolic deliverance from the spiritual consequences tied to the land's defilement through the death of the High Priest, prefiguring the ultimate deliverance from eternal death through Christ's sacrifice.

Numbers 35 25 Commentary

Numbers 35:25 beautifully illustrates the sophisticated legal and theological system God established for Israel, blending retributive justice with divine mercy. The law is designed to prevent a society from descending into cycles of blood vengeance by placing the authority for justice firmly in the hands of the entire community—"the congregation." This ensures due process, contrasting sharply with the arbitrary vendettas common in ancient Near Eastern cultures.

The unique provision that allows the slayer's return only upon the "death of the High Priest" carries profound symbolic weight. The High Priest, consecrated with sacred oil, served as the spiritual mediator for the entire nation, carrying its collective burdens and facilitating atonement through his sacrifices, particularly on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). His death, therefore, was not merely the end of a human life, but a national event laden with redemptive significance, a symbolic purging or "purification" of the land and a release from the inadvertent defilement of bloodshed. It implies that the High Priest, in some mystical sense, bore the weight of these communal trespasses, and his demise released those under a sentence linked to unintentional sin.

This Levitical instruction deeply foreshadows the ultimate spiritual release found in Christ. He is our true and perfect High Priest, not anointed with oil but consecrated by God Himself. His one, decisive death on the cross (Heb 9:11-14) provides ultimate and eternal atonement, freeing believers from the condemnation and consequences of all sin—intentional or unintentional—once and for all. Just as the death of the high priest granted the slayer freedom from the avenger of blood, Christ's death frees believers from the wrath of God and the accusations of sin. He is our eternal City of Refuge, where we find true security and liberty (Heb 6:18). This verse encapsulates God's compassionate justice, illustrating His provision for grace within the boundaries of His holy law.