Read & explore together
Canaan's Boundaries, Leaders and Refuge Cities
This passage sets out how Israel was to live in Canaan: removing idol worship, receiving defined tribal land, appointing leaders, giving towns to Levites, and handling killings with refuge cities and formal judgement.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the setting
In the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, Yahweh speaks to Moses about what Israel must do when they enter Canaan. The passage moves from possession of the land, to its borders and division, to Levite towns, and then to laws about refuge, murder, witnesses, and the land’s defilement.
Numbers 33:50–35:34Main takeaway
This passage presents life in the land as a gift from Yahweh that required ordered boundaries, shared provision, and careful justice.
Explore the instructions
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Entering Canaan and removing idolsWhen Israel passes over the Jordan, they are told to drive out the inhabitants and destroy stone idols, molten images, and high places.
Explanation
When Israel passes over the Jordan, they are told to drive out the inhabitants and destroy stone idols, molten images, and high places. Yahweh says he has given them the land to possess. If they leave the inhabitants, those who remain will harass them, and Yahweh warns of judgement on Israel.
02Borders and tribal inheritanceThe text carefully marks the south, west, north, and east borders of Canaan. Moses then says this land is for the nine tribes and the half-tribe by lot, because Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh had already received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward.
Explanation
The text carefully marks the south, west, north, and east borders of Canaan. Moses then says this land is for the nine tribes and the half-tribe by lot, because Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh had already received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward.
03Named leaders and Levite citiesYahweh names Eleazar, Joshua, and one prince from each tribe to divide the inheritance. The Levites are to receive cities to dwell in, with surrounding pasture lands for livestock and possessions.
Explanation
Yahweh names Eleazar, Joshua, and one prince from each tribe to divide the inheritance. The Levites are to receive cities to dwell in, with surrounding pasture lands for livestock and possessions. In all, they receive forty-eight cities, taken from the tribes according to each inheritance.
04Six refuge cities and formal judgementAmong the Levite cities, six are to be refuge cities, three beyond the Jordan and three in Canaan.
Explanation
Among the Levite cities, six are to be refuge cities, three beyond the Jordan and three in Canaan. They are for Israelites, the stranger, and the foreigner living among them when a person kills unwittingly. The congregation must judge the case before the man slayer is put to death.
05Murder, refuge, and the landThe law distinguishes murder from unwitting killing. Striking with deadly objects, hatred, or lying in wait marks murder, but sudden action without hostility is judged differently.
Explanation
The law distinguishes murder from unwitting killing. Striking with deadly objects, hatred, or lying in wait marks murder, but sudden action without hostility is judged differently. The man slayer must remain in the refuge city until the high priest dies. One witness is not enough, no ransom is allowed, and bloodshed pollutes the land where Yahweh dwells.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does the passage connect with Israel’s possession of the land when they enter Canaan?
Notice that taking possession is linked with destroying idols and not leaving the inhabitants in place.
02How does the passage show that the land was organised rather than left undefined?
Look at the detailed borders, the use of the lot, and the named leaders chosen to divide the inheritance.
03What rules limit and shape the use of refuge cities?
Look for who may flee there, the congregation’s role in judgement, and how long the man slayer must stay.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Numbers 33:50–56
50Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
51Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, “When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
52then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their stone idols, destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places.
53You shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for I have given the land to you to possess it.
54You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger groups you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
55“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land in which you dwell.
56It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so I will do to you.”
Numbers 34:1–29
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Command the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders),
3then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward.
4Your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and it shall pass southward of Kadesh Barnea; and it shall go from there to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon.
5The border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the sea.
6“ ‘For the western border, you shall have the great sea and its border. This shall be your west border.
7“ ‘This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for yourselves Mount Hor.
8From Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the border shall pass by Zedad.
9Then the border shall go to Ziphron, and it shall end at Hazar Enan. This shall be your north border.
10“ ‘You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham.
11The border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain. The border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward.
12The border shall go down to the Jordan, and end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders around it.’ ”
13Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;
14for the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their fathers’ houses, the tribe of the children of Gad according to their fathers’ houses, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance.
15The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise.”
16Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
17“These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
18You shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.
19These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
20Of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.
21Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.
22Of the tribe of the children of Dan a prince, Bukki the son of Jogli.
23Of the children of Joseph: of the tribe of the children of Manasseh a prince, Hanniel the son of Ephod.
24Of the tribe of the children of Ephraim a prince, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.
25Of the tribe of the children of Zebulun a prince, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.
26Of the tribe of the children of Issachar a prince, Paltiel the son of Azzan.
27Of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.
28Of the tribe of the children of Naphtali a prince, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.”
29These are they whom Yahweh commanded to divide the inheritance to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.
Numbers 35:1–34
1Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
2“Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites cities to dwell in out of their inheritance. You shall give pasture lands for the cities around them to the Levites.
3They shall have the cities to dwell in. Their pasture lands shall be for their livestock, and for their possessions, and for all their animals.
4“The pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits around it.
5You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall be the pasture lands of their cities.
6“The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the man slayer to flee to. Besides them you shall give forty-two cities.
7All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities together with their pasture lands.
8Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many, and from the few you shall take few. Everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give some of his cities to the Levites.”
9Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
10“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11then you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.
12The cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
13The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.
14You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and you shall give three cities in the land of Canaan. They shall be cities of refuge.
15These six cities shall be refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreigner living among them, that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.
16“ ‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
17If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
18Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
19The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death. When he meets him, he shall put him to death.
20If he shoved him out of hatred, or hurled something at him while lying in wait, so that he died,
21or in hostility struck him with his hand, so that he died, he who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
22“ ‘But if he shoved him suddenly without hostility, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait,
23or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him so that he died, and he was not his enemy and not seeking his harm,
24then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.
25The congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he had fled. He shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
26“ ‘But if the man slayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge where he flees,
27and the avenger of blood finds him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the man slayer, he shall not be guilty of blood,
28because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the man slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
29“ ‘These things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30“ ‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain based on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify alone against any person so that he dies.
31“ ‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death. He shall surely be put to death.
32“ ‘You shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land before the death of the priest.
33“ ‘So you shall not pollute the land where you live; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it.
34You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, where I dwell; for I, Yahweh, dwell among the children of Israel.’ ”