The Meaning of Numbers 35:12 Explained

Numbers 35:12

KJV: And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

YLT: and the cities have been to you for a refuge from the redeemer, and the man-slayer doth not die till his standing before the company for judgment.

Darby: And ye shall have these cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment.

ASV: And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they shall be unto you cities  for refuge  from the avenger;  that the manslayer  die  not, until he stand  before  the congregation  in judgment. 

What does Numbers 35:12 Mean?

Study Notes

avenger
Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type).
Redeemer
Redemption: Kinsman type, summary. The goel, or Kinsman-Redeemer, is a beautiful type of Christ.
(1) The kinsman redemption was of persons, and an inheritance Leviticus 25:48 ; Leviticus 25:25 ; Galatians 4:5 ; Ephesians 1:7 ; Ephesians 1:11 ; Ephesians 1:14
(2) The Redeemer must be a kinsman Leviticus 25:48 ; Leviticus 25:49 ; Ruth 3:12 ; Ruth 3:13 ; Galatians 4:4 ; Hebrews 2:14 ; Hebrews 2:15 .
(3) The Redeemer must be able to redeem Ruth 4:4-6 ; Jeremiah 50:34 ; John 10:11 ; John 10:18
(4) Redemption is effected by the goel paying the just demand in full Leviticus 25:27 ; 1 Peter 1:18 ; 1 Peter 1:19 ; Galatians 3:13 . (See Scofield " Exodus 14:30 ") See Scofield " Romans 3:24 "
come to Zion
The time when the "Redeemer shall come to Zion" is fixed, relatively, by Romans 11:23-29 as following the completion of the Gentile Church. That is also the order of the great dispensational passage, Acts 15:14-17 .
In both, the return of the Lord to Zion follows the outcalling of the Church.
come to Zion
The time when the "Redeemer shall come to Zion" is fixed, relatively, by Romans 11:23-29 as following the completion of the Gentile Church. That is also the order of the great dispensational passage, Acts 15:14-17 .
In both, the return of the Lord to Zion follows the outcalling of the Church.

Context Summary

Numbers 35:1-15 - The Cities Of Refuge For The Manslayer
This chapter is full of provision for the Levites, the chosen ministers of God's house. They who serve there may be at rest about their maintenance. He is not unrighteous to forget their labor of love.
These forty-eight cities must have been centers of religious influence throughout the land. As cities set on a hill that could not be hid, as salt staying corruption, as lights along a rock-bound coast-so must they have stood in the Holy Land. So should our homes be in our land.
Six of the Levite cities were set apart for those who were guilty of manslaughter-i.e., those who had killed some one unwittingly. They were within easy access from all parts of the land, and offered sanctuary until a judicial inquiry could be held. In Jesus we find refuge, Hebrews 6:18. No avenger following the track of past sin can hurt the soul that shelters in Him. Only we must never venture beyond the precincts of His salvation. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 35

1  Forty-eight cities for the Levites, with their suburbs, and measure thereof
6  Six of them are to be cities of refuge
9  The laws of murder and manslaughter
31  No satisfaction for murder

What do the individual words in Numbers 35:12 mean?

And they shall be for you cities of refuge from the avenger that not may die the manslayer until he stands before the congregation in judgment
וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֧ם הֶעָרִ֛ים לְמִקְלָ֖ט מִגֹּאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א יָמוּת֙ הָרֹצֵ֔חַ עַד־ עָמְד֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט

וְהָי֨וּ  And  they  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָכֶ֧ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
הֶעָרִ֛ים  cities 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לְמִקְלָ֖ט  of  refuge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְלָט  
Sense: refuge, asylum.
מִגֹּאֵ֑ל  from  the  avenger 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: גְּאוּלִים 
Sense: to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman.
וְלֹ֤א  that  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָמוּת֙  may  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
הָרֹצֵ֔חַ  the  manslayer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָצַח  
Sense: to murder, slay, kill.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
עָמְד֛וֹ  he  stands 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
לִפְנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָעֵדָ֖ה  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט  in  judgment 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.