旧约 - 民数记(Numbers)第35章

On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses,
"Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns.
Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock.
"The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall.
Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.
"Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns.
In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands.
The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few."
Then the LORD said to Moses:
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,
select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.
They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly.
These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.
Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge.
These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.
"'If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.
Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.
Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.
The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.
If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies
or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
"'But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally
or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him,
the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations.
The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
"'But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he has fled
and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder.
The accused must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may he return to his own property.
"'These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.
"'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
"'Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death.
"'Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow him to go back and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.
"'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.'"
民数记第卅五章   第 35 章 

  民 35:2-3> 我做到十一奉献供应神的工人吗? 

  35:2-3 利未人是专心料理会幕、事奉神的人。他们靠其他支派之人的十一奉献、给他们居所、羊群以及牧放羊群的草地来维持生活。我们也应当供应专职事奉神的人,使他们可以安心地做神所分派的工作,不必有后顾之忧。 

  民 35:6> 为什么要建立逃城?这显明神的什么特性? 

  35:6 各支派分给利未人的四十八座城之中,要分出六座城作为逃城。这六座城可能交给利未人管理,因为他们要作最公正无私的审判者。在以色列人中,需要有这样的城市,因为按照古时的习俗,在至亲或至爱之人被害后,家人应当为他报血仇(参撒下 14:7 ),但未经法律程序的个人复仇行为是不合法的。逃城的建立有利于公正的审判,这种公义的制度,显明神的律法和怜悯相辅相成。 

  民 35:11-28> 建立逃城的出发点对我们有何启示? 

  35:11-28 神吩咐设立逃城,表示祂是十分公义的。那时的习俗并不常常保护犯误杀罪之人。忽略人犯罪可能是无意的,或是被人妄下判语为有罪的,以及在指责人犯罪的时候,疑犯未经审判就被看为有罪,这都是有失公平的。我们要为公义的缘故挺身而出,对尚未被确定为有罪之人,应当仔细聆听各方面的案情。 

  以色列人历代的大祭司 

  逃城──《灵修版圣经注释》