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Numbers 35:8

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 35:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And concerning the cities which ye shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many ye shall take many; and from the few ye shall take few: every one according to his inheritance which he inheriteth shall give of his cities unto the Levites.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And concerning the cities which ye shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many ye shall take many; and from the few ye shall take few: every one according to his inheritance which he inheriteth shall give of his cities unto the Levites.
Numbers 35:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 35

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5And ye shall measure without 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 midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
6And 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.
7All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities; them [shall ye give] with their suburbs.
8And concerning the cities which ye shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many ye shall take many; and from the few ye shall take few: every one according to his inheritance which he inheriteth shall give of his cities unto the Levites.
9And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither.
← Numbers 35:7Numbers 35:9 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel, etc.] What shall fall by lot for their inheritance, and they shall be possessed of; and though they are, shall not refuse, nor grudge to give them, according to the direction of God, whose the land is, they holding it under him: from [them that have] many ye shall give many, but from [them that have] few ye shall give few; which rule was observed; for out of Judah, whose lot was large, and out of Simeon, whose inheritance was within that of Judah, because it was so large, nine cities were given, whereas out of the other tribes only four cities out of each were given, and out of one of them but three,…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel--The burden of furnishing those places for the residence and support of the Levitical order was to fall in equitable proportions upon the different tribes (see Num 33:54; Jos 20:7).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Nine cities were eventually given to the Levites from the large joint inheritance of Judah and Simeon; three were taken from the territory of Naphtali, and the other tribes gave each four apiece. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“possession: Gen 49:7; Exo 32:28, Exo 32:29; Deu 33:8-11; Jos 21:3 from them: Num 26:54, Num 33:54; Exo 16:18; Co2 8:13, Co2 8:14 he inheriteth: Heb. they inherit Numbers 35:10”
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Related study paths

Read Numbers 35 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification