The Meaning of Numbers 35:21 Explained

Numbers 35:21

KJV: Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

YLT: or in enmity he hath smitten him with his hand, and he dieth; the smiter is certainly put to death; he is a murderer; the redeemer of blood doth put the murderer to death in his coming against him.

Darby: or from enmity smite him with his hand, so that he die, he that smote him shall certainly be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meeteth him. --

ASV: or in enmity smote him with his hand, so that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meeteth him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Or in enmity  smite  him with his hand,  that he die:  he that smote  [him] shall surely  be put to death;  [for] he [is] a murderer:  the revenger  of blood  shall slay  the murderer,  when he meeteth  him. 

What does Numbers 35:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 35:16-34 - The Penalty For The Murderer
For murder the penalty was death, Numbers 35:30-31; but for accidental homicide there was freedom within the city limits until the death of the high priest, when all these refugees might return to their homes with impunity. The institution of the blood-avenger was almost a necessity in those lands of scattered population and without communal organization. Here, without destroying the practice, it has been placed under careful limitations. We are our brethren's keepers, and instead of passing on a slander, we should stand for them against those who have wrongfully maligned them.
What an exquisite promise is contained in Numbers 35:34! To think that Jehovah actually dwelled in the Holy Land! He dwells also in each assembly of His saints and in our hearts. See Ezekiel 48:35; Matthew 18:20; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Revelation 21:3.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments [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 35:21 mean?

or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies surely shall be put to death the one who struck [him] [is] a murderer He avenger of the blood shall put to death - the murderer when he meets him
א֣וֹ בְאֵיבָ֞ה הִכָּ֤הוּ בְיָדוֹ֙ וַיָּמֹ֔ת מֽוֹת־ יוּמַ֥ת הַמַּכֶּ֖ה רֹצֵ֣חַֽ ה֑וּא גֹּאֵ֣ל הַדָּ֗ם יָמִ֛ית אֶת־ הָרֹצֵ֖חַ בְּפִגְעוֹ־ בֽוֹ

בְאֵיבָ֞ה  in  enmity 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֵיבָה  
Sense: enmity, hatred.
הִכָּ֤הוּ  he  strikes  him 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
בְיָדוֹ֙  with  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וַיָּמֹ֔ת  so  that  he  dies 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
מֽוֹת־  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
יוּמַ֥ת  shall  be  put  to  death 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
הַמַּכֶּ֖ה  the  one  who  struck  [him] 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
רֹצֵ֣חַֽ  [is]  a  murderer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָצַח  
Sense: to murder, slay, kill.
גֹּאֵ֣ל  avenger 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּאוּלִים 
Sense: to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman.
הַדָּ֗ם  of  the  blood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
יָמִ֛ית  shall  put  to  death 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָרֹצֵ֖חַ  the  murderer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָצַח  
Sense: to murder, slay, kill.
בְּפִגְעוֹ־  when  he  meets 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּגַע  
Sense: to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession.

What are the major concepts related to Numbers 35:21?

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