The Meaning of Numbers 35:6 Explained

Numbers 35:6

KJV: 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.

YLT: And the cities which ye give to the Levites are the six cities of refuge, which ye give for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, and besides them ye give forty and two cities;

Darby: And among the cities that ye shall give unto the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither, and besides them ye shall give forty-two cities:

ASV: And the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which ye shall give for the manslayer to flee unto: and besides them ye shall give forty and two cities.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Numbers 35:6 Mean?

Study Notes

refuge
The cities of refuge are types of Christ sheltering the sinner from judgment.
Psalms 46:1 ; Psalms 142:5 ; Isaiah 4:6 ; Exodus 21:13 ; Deuteronomy 19:2-9 ; Romans 8:1 ; Romans 8:33 ; Romans 8:34 ; Philippians 3:9 ; Hebrews 6:18 ; Hebrews 6:19 .

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 35:6 mean?

And among the cities which you will give to the Levites - six cities of refuge to which [you [shall appoint] may flee there a manslayer and to these you shall add forty and two cities
וְאֵ֣ת הֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּתְּנוּ֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֵ֚ת שֵׁשׁ־ עָרֵ֣י הַמִּקְלָ֔ט אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתְּנ֔וּ לָנֻ֥ס שָׁ֖מָּה הָרֹצֵ֑חַ וַעֲלֵיהֶ֣ם תִּתְּנ֔וּ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם עִֽיר

וְאֵ֣ת  And  among 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הֶֽעָרִ֗ים  the  cities 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
תִּתְּנוּ֙  you  will  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַלְוִיִּ֔ם  to  the  Levites 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שֵׁשׁ־  six 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: שֵׁשׁ  
Sense: six.
עָרֵ֣י  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַמִּקְלָ֔ט  of  refuge 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְלָט  
Sense: refuge, asylum.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  to  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תִּתְּנ֔וּ  [you  [shall  appoint] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לָנֻ֥ס  may  flee 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
הָרֹצֵ֑חַ  a  manslayer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָצַח  
Sense: to murder, slay, kill.
וַעֲלֵיהֶ֣ם  and  to  these 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
תִּתְּנ֔וּ  you  shall  add 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים  forty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: אַרְבָּעִים  
Sense: forty.
וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם  and  two 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, fd
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
עִֽיר  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.