Numbers 35:8 The cities that you apportion from the territory of the Israelites should be given to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one."

◄ Numbers 35:8 ►

New International Version
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.”

New Living Translation
These towns will come from the property of the people of Israel. The larger tribes will give more towns to the Levites, while the smaller tribes will give fewer. Each tribe will give property in proportion to the size of its land.”

English Standard Version
And as for the cities that you shall give from the possession of the people of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites.”

Berean Standard Bible
The cities that you apportion from the territory of the Israelites should be given to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one.”

King James Bible
And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

New King James Version
And the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.”

New American Standard Bible
As for the cities which you shall give them from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger, and you shall take fewer from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his inheritance which he possesses.”

NASB 1995
“As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger and you shall take less from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his possession which he inherits.”

NASB 1977
“As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger and you shall take less from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his possession which he inherits.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now as for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger, and you shall take less from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his possession which he inherits.”

Amplified Bible
As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many and from the smaller tribes few; each tribe shall give [at least some] of its cities to the Levites in proportion to [the size of] its inheritance which it possesses.”

Christian Standard Bible
Of the cities that you give from the Israelites’ territory, you should take more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one. Each tribe is to give some of its cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance it receives.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Of the cities that you give from the Israelites’ territory, you should take more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one. Each tribe is to give some of its cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance it receives.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Since the towns for the Levites must come from Israel's own tribal lands, the larger tribes will give more towns than the smaller ones.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The cities you give the Levites from the property of the other Israelites must be given based on the amount of land each tribe owns. Take more cities from larger tribes and fewer from smaller tribes."

Good News Translation
The number of Levite cities in each tribe is to be determined according to the size of its territory."

International Standard Version
You are to apportion the towns that you will be giving the Israelis according to the relative size of the tribe. Take a larger portion from those larger in number and a lesser portion from those fewer in number. Each is to set aside towns for the descendants of Levi proportional to the size of their inheritance that they receive."

Majority Standard Bible
The cities that you apportion from the territory of the Israelites should be given to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one.”

NET Bible
The towns you will give must be from the possession of the Israelites. From the larger tribes you must give more; and from the smaller tribes fewer. Each must contribute some of its own towns to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance allocated to each.

New Heart English Bible
Concerning 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 of his cities to the Levites."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities to the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

World English Bible
Concerning 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.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the cities which you give [are] from the possession of the sons of Israel; from the many you multiply, and from the few you diminish; each, according to his inheritance which they inherit, gives to the Levites from his cities.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the cities which ye give are of the possession of the sons of Israel, from the many ye multiply, and from the few ye diminish; each, according to his inheritance which they inherit, doth give of his cities to the Levites.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the cities which ye shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel: from the many ye shall multiply; and from the few ye shall diminish: each according to his inheritance which they shall inherit, he shall give from his cities to the Levites.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And of these cities which shall be given out of the possessions of the children of Israel, from them that have more, more shall be taken: and from them that have less, fewer. Each shall give towns to the Levites according to the extent of their inheritance.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And concerning these cities, which shall be given from the possessions of the sons of Israel: from those who have more, more shall be taken, and from those who have less, less shall be taken. Each shall give towns to the Levites according to the measure of their inheritance.”

New American Bible
In assigning the cities from what the Israelites possess, take more from a larger group and fewer from a smaller one, so that each will cede cities to the Levites in proportion to the heritage which it receives.

New Revised Standard Version
And as for the towns that you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it obtains, shall give of its towns to the Levites.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And with regard to the cities which you shall give of the inheritance of the children of Israel: from those that have many you shall take many; but from those that have few you shall take few; every one shall give of his cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance which he inherits.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the cities that you are giving from the inheritance of the children of Israel, from the many you shall give more, and from the few you shall give less; a man will give from his cities to the Levites according to the proportion of the inheritance that he possesses.”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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; each tribe according to its inheritance which it inheriteth shall give of its cities unto the Levites.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And as for the cities which ye shall give out of the possession of the children of Israel, from those that have much ye shall give much, and from those that have less ye shall give less: they shall give of their cities to the Levites each one according to his inheritance which they shall inherit.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Six Cities of Refuge
…7The total number of cities you give the Levites will be forty-eight, with their corresponding pasturelands. 8The cities that you apportion from the territory of the Israelites should be given to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one.” 9Then the LORD said to Moses,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Joshua 21:1-42
Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel / at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given cities in which to live, together with pasturelands for our livestock.” / So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance: ...

Leviticus 25:32-34
As for the cities of the Levites, the Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the cities they possess. / So whatever belongs to the Levites may be redeemed—a house sold in a city they possess—and must be released in the Jubilee, because the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the Israelites. / But the open pastureland around their cities may not be sold, for this is their permanent possession.

Deuteronomy 4:41-43
Then Moses set aside three cities across the Jordan to the east / to which a manslayer could flee after killing his neighbor unintentionally without prior malice. To save one’s own life, he could flee to one of these cities: / Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.

Deuteronomy 19:1-13
When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses, / then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. / You are to build roads for yourselves and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities. ...

Joshua 20:1-9
Then the LORD said to Joshua, / “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, / so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood. ...

1 Chronicles 6:54-81
Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them: / They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands. / But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. ...

Acts 7:45
And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,

Hebrews 11:9
By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Matthew 5:17
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

Galatians 3:24
So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Hebrews 10:1
For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

Exodus 21:13
If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

2 Chronicles 11:13-14
Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam. / For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.

Ezekiel 45:1-6
“When you divide the land by lot as an inheritance, you are to set aside a portion for the LORD, a holy portion of the land 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide. This entire tract of land will be holy. / Within this area there is to be a section for the sanctuary 500 cubits square, with 50 cubits around it for open land. / From this holy portion, you are to measure off a length of 25,000 cubits and a width of 10,000 cubits, and in it will be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. ...

Treasury of Scripture

And the cities which you shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many you shall give many; but from them that have few you shall give few: every one shall give of his cities to the Levites according to his inheritance which he inherits.

possession

Genesis 49:7
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

Exodus 32:28,29
And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men…

Deuteronomy 33:8-11
And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; …

from them

Numbers 26:54
To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.

Numbers 33:54
And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.

Exodus 16:18
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

he inheriteth.

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Numbers 35

1. Forty-eight cities for the Levites, with their suburbs, and measure thereof
6. Six of them are to be cities of refuge
9. The laws of murder and manslaughter
31. No satisfaction for murder

Berean Study Bible

The cities that you give to the Levites
The Levites, set apart for the service of God, were not given a territorial inheritance like the other tribes. Instead, they were provided with cities to dwell in. The Hebrew root for "give" (נָתַן, natan) implies a deliberate and generous act of provision. This reflects God's provision for those dedicated to His service, ensuring they have a place within the community of Israel. Historically, this arrangement underscores the importance of the Levites' role in spiritual leadership and instruction.

from the land of the Israelites
The land of the Israelites was the Promised Land, a gift from God to His chosen people. The phrase emphasizes the communal responsibility of the Israelites to support the Levites. The land was not just a physical inheritance but a spiritual one, symbolizing God's covenant and faithfulness. This context highlights the unity and interdependence among the tribes, as they collectively support the Levites.

should be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe
The principle of proportionality here is rooted in fairness and equity. The Hebrew concept of "inheritance" (נַחֲלָה, nachalah) is not merely about possession but about stewardship of God's blessings. Each tribe's contribution was to reflect its size and capacity, ensuring that the burden of supporting the Levites was shared justly. This principle teaches us about the importance of equitable distribution and responsibility within a community.

the more populous tribes are to give more
This directive acknowledges the varying sizes and resources of the tribes. Larger tribes, with greater resources, were expected to contribute more. This reflects a biblical principle of giving according to one's means, as seen in other scriptural contexts (e.g., 2 Corinthians 8:12). It underscores the idea that those blessed with abundance have a greater responsibility to support God's work and His servants.

and the less populous tribes are to give fewer
Conversely, smaller tribes were not overburdened beyond their capacity. This consideration for the less populous tribes demonstrates God's justice and compassion. It ensures that all contributions are meaningful yet manageable, fostering a spirit of cooperation and mutual support. This principle can inspire us today to give generously but wisely, according to our ability, trusting that God values the heart behind the gift more than the size of the gift itself.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - And the cities which ye shall give shall be, etc. Rather, "And as to the cities which ye shall give from the possession of the children of Israel, from the many ye shall multiply, and from the few ye shall decrease." What seems to be a general rule of proportionate giving is laid down here, but it was not carried out, and it is not easy to see how it could have been. From the large combined territory of Judah and Simeon nine cities were indeed surrendered (Joshua 21), but all the rest, great and small, gave up four apiece, except Naphtali, which gave up three only. As the territory of Naphtali was apparently large in proportion to its numbers, this was probably for no other reason than that the tribe stood last on the list. Every one. Hebrew, אִישׁ. It was in fact each tribe that surrendered so many cities, but since the tribal inheritance was the joint property of all the tribesmen, every man felt that he was a party to the gift. No doubt it was the Divine intention to foster in the tribes as far as possible this local feeling of interest and property in the Levites who dwelt among them (compare the expression "their scribes and Pharisees" in Luke 5:30). The dispersion of the Levites (however mysteriously connected with the prophecy of Genesis 49:5-7) was obviously designed to form a bond of unity for all Israel by diffusing the knowledge and love of the national religion, and by keeping up a constant communication between the future capital and all the provinces. According to the Divine ideal Israel as a whole was "the election" (ἡ ἐκλογή) from all the earth, the Levites were the ἐκλογή of Israel, and the priests the ἐκλογή of Levi. The priestly family was at present too small to be influential, but the Levites were numerous enough to have leavened the whole nation if they had walked worthy of their calling. They were gathered together in towns of their own, partly no doubt in order to avoid disputes, but partly that they might have a better opportunity of setting forth the true ideal of what Jewish life should be.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The cities
וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ים (wə·he·‘ā·rîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement

that
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you apportion
תִּתְּנוּ֙ (tit·tə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

from the territory
מֵאֲחֻזַּ֣ת (mê·’ă·ḥuz·zaṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 272: Something seized, a possession

of the Israelites
בְּנֵי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

should be given
יִתֵּ֥ן (yit·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

to the Levites
לַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (lal·wî·yim)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

in proportion to
כְּפִ֤י (kə·p̄î)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

the inheritance
נַחֲלָתוֹ֙ (na·ḥă·lā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

of each [tribe]:
אִ֗ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

more from
תַּרְבּ֔וּ (tar·bū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great

a larger [tribe]
הָרַב֙ (hā·raḇ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

and less from
תַּמְעִ֑יטוּ (tam·‘î·ṭū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 4591: To pare off, lessen, in, to be, small, few

a smaller one.
הַמְעַ֖ט (ham·‘aṭ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4592: A little, fewness, a few

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OT Law: Numbers 35:8 Concerning the cities which you shall give (Nu Num.)