The Meaning of Numbers 35:33 Explained

Numbers 35:33

KJV: So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

YLT: And ye profane not the land which ye are in, for blood profaneth the land; as to the land, it is not pardoned for blood which is shed in it except by the blood of him who sheddeth it;

Darby: And ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood, it polluteth the land; and there can be no atonement made for the land, for the blood that hath been shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

ASV: So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood, it polluteth the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So ye shall not pollute  the land  wherein ye [are]: for blood  it defileth  the land:  and the land  cannot be cleansed  of the blood  that is shed  therein, but by the blood  of him that shed  it. 

What does Numbers 35:33 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 35:33 mean?

So not you shall pollute - the land where you [are] in for blood it defiles the land and the land no atonement can be made for the blood that is shed on it but except by the blood of him who shed it
וְלֹֽא־ תַחֲנִ֣יפוּ אֶת־ הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתֶּם֙ בָּ֔הּ כִּ֣י הַדָּ֔ם ה֥וּא יַחֲנִ֖יף הָאָ֑רֶץ וְלָאָ֣רֶץ לֹֽא־ יְכֻפַּ֗ר לַדָּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שֻׁפַּךְ־ בָּ֔הּ כִּי־ אִ֖ם בְּדַ֥ם שֹׁפְכֽוֹ

וְלֹֽא־  So  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תַחֲנִ֣יפוּ  you  shall  pollute 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: חָנֵף  
Sense: to be profaned, be defiled, be polluted, be corrupt.
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.
הָאָ֗רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אַתֶּם֙  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
הַדָּ֔ם  blood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
יַחֲנִ֖יף  defiles 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָנֵף  
Sense: to be profaned, be defiled, be polluted, be corrupt.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְלָאָ֣רֶץ  and  the  land 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לֹֽא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְכֻפַּ֗ר  atonement  can  be  made 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּפַר 
Sense: to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch.
לַדָּם֙  for  the  blood 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שֻׁפַּךְ־  is  shed 
Parse: Verb, QalPass, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
בָּ֔הּ  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
אִ֖ם  except 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
בְּדַ֥ם  by  the  blood 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
שֹׁפְכֽוֹ  of  him  who  shed  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.