Numbers 35
The tribe of Levi (Moses relatives) are not given a plot of land with the other tribes because the Levites have been set apart to care for the tabernacle, and the priests are taken from their tribe.
Instead they are given a number of towns and cities from within the other tribes - each city with about a square kilomtetre of land surrounding it.
Among the towns given to the Levites are to be cities of sanctuary or refuge. The idea of a city of refuge is that somebody who, in innocence, accidentally kills another person. The vengeful relatives are not allowed to kill a person in a city of refuge.
If the killing is not accidental or there was a weapon involved the city of refuge leaders are to execute the murderer.
Interestingly this chapter forbids the practise of paying a ransom to pardon a murderer.
Numbers 36
Do you remember Zelophehad? I did not think you did - he appeared a few chapters ago, or at least his daughters did.
His daughters get their inheritance in this chapter, but there is a catch - they must marry within their tribe to avoid another tribe inheriting their land in the future, I guess the idea of this is that the land inheritance is fixed for all time and future squabbles are avoided.
This is the end of book 4 - next time we are into Deuteronomy.
The tribe of Levi (Moses relatives) are not given a plot of land with the other tribes because the Levites have been set apart to care for the tabernacle, and the priests are taken from their tribe.
Instead they are given a number of towns and cities from within the other tribes - each city with about a square kilomtetre of land surrounding it.
Among the towns given to the Levites are to be cities of sanctuary or refuge. The idea of a city of refuge is that somebody who, in innocence, accidentally kills another person. The vengeful relatives are not allowed to kill a person in a city of refuge.
If the killing is not accidental or there was a weapon involved the city of refuge leaders are to execute the murderer.
Interestingly this chapter forbids the practise of paying a ransom to pardon a murderer.
Numbers 36
Do you remember Zelophehad? I did not think you did - he appeared a few chapters ago, or at least his daughters did.
His daughters get their inheritance in this chapter, but there is a catch - they must marry within their tribe to avoid another tribe inheriting their land in the future, I guess the idea of this is that the land inheritance is fixed for all time and future squabbles are avoided.
This is the end of book 4 - next time we are into Deuteronomy.
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