Numbers 35:6

Six of the cities you give the Levites are to be appointed as cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. In addition to these, give the Levites forty-two other cities.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelite leadership, detailing the allocation of Levitical land immediately after defining the measurement boundaries for surrounding pasturelands.

The words — תִּתְּנוּ (ti.te.Nu) translates literally as "you will give," and שֵׁשׁ (shesh) means "six," anchoring the command in a precise numerical division of territory.

The thread — This directive is executed in Joshua 21:3, 21:13, and 21:21, where the tribes distribute the designated cities and formally designate them as places of refuge.

Why it lands — The text commands a specific division of land to establish a functioning legal system for manslaughter cases while simultaneously providing for the Levitical tribe.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאֵ֣תve./'Etand/ <obj.>הֶֽעָרִ֗יםhe./'a.Rimthe/ cities אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sherwhich תִּתְּנוּ֙ti.te.Nuyou will give לַלְוִיִּ֔םla/l.vi.Yimto the/ Levites אֵ֚ת'et<obj.>שֵׁשׁ־shesh-[the] six עָרֵ֣י'a.Rei[the] cities of הַמִּקְלָ֔טha./mik.Lat<the>/ refuge אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich תִּתְּנ֔וּti.te.Nuyou will give לָנֻ֥סla./Nusto/ flee שָׁ֖מָּהSha.ma/hthere/ towards הָרֹצֵ֑חַha./ro.Tze.achthe/ killer וַעֲלֵיהֶ֣םva./'a.lei./Hemand/ to/ them תִּתְּנ֔וּti.te.Nuyou will give אַרְבָּעִ֥ים'ar.ba.'Imforty וּשְׁתַּ֖יִםu./she.Ta.yimand/ two עִֽיר׃'Irciti[es]

King James Version

And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.

Cross-references

Joshua 21:3 So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
Joshua 21:13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,
Joshua 21:21 they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer,
Joshua 21:27 This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: From the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah—two cities, together with their pasturelands.
Joshua 21:32 And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three cities, together with their pasturelands.
Joshua 21:36 From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz,
Joshua 21:38 And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,
Psalms 9:9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Numbers 35:13 The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge.
Deuteronomy 4:41 Then Moses set aside three cities across the Jordan to the east