Numbers 35:18 · American Standard Version

Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
Numbers 35:18 in the American Standard Version reads: “Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.”. Read it in the full context of Numbers 35, or compare how other translations render it below.

Numbers 35:18 in Other Translations

KJV Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
WEB Or 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.
ASV Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
YLT ‘Or with a wooden instrument in the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he is a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death.
WBT Or [if] he shall smite him with a hand-weapon of wood, with which he may die, and he shall die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
DBY Or if he have smitten him with an instrument of wood, in the hand, wherewith one may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall certainly be put to death;

Commentary on Numbers 35:18

Expositions from classic Bible commentators.

Adam Clarke · Numbers 35:12–18

Until he stand before the congregation in judgment - So one of these cities was not a perpetual asylum; It was only a pro tempore refuge, till the case could be fairly examined by the magistrates in the presence of the people, or the elders their representatives; and this was done in the city or place where he had done the murder, Jos 20:4, Jos 20:6. If he was found worthy of death, they delivered him to the avenger that he might be slain, Deu 19:12; if not, they sent him back to the city of refuge, where he remained till the death of the high priest, Num 35:25. Before the cities of refuge were appointed, the altar appears to have been a sanctuary for those who had killed a person unwittingly; see on Exo 21:13 (note), and Exo 21:14 (note).

Read Adam Clarke's full commentary on Numbers 35 →

John Gill · Numbers 35:18

Or if he smote him with an hand weapon of wood,.... A stick, or staff, or club:

wherewith he may die, and he die; which is sufficient to kill a man, as the same Targum explains it; and a man dies with the blow that is given him by it:

he is a murderer, and the murderer shall surely be put to death; no pardon given him, or the benefit of the city of refuge allowed him.

Read John Gill's full commentary on Numbers 35 →

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown · Numbers 35:16–21

If he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, &c.--Various cases are here enumerated in which the Goel or avenger was at liberty to take the life of the murderer; and every one of them proves a premeditated purpose.

Read Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's full commentary on Numbers 35 →

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Questions about Numbers 35:18

What does Numbers 35:18 say?

Numbers 35:18 in the American Standard Version reads: “Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.” Read it in the full context of Numbers 35, alongside the classic commentary on this page.

Where is Numbers 35:18 found in the Bible?

Numbers 35:18 is in the book of Numbers, chapter 35, verse 18, in the Old Testament.

What Bible translation is Numbers 35:18 shown in?

This is the American Standard Version (ASV), a public-domain translation. You can compare how other translations render Numbers 35:18 in the table on this page.

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