民數記35:1-34

35:1 耶和華在摩押平原─約旦河邊、耶利哥對面曉諭摩西說：
35:2 「你吩咐以色列人，要從所得為業的地中把些城給利未人居住，也要把這城四圍的郊野給利未人。
35:3 這城邑要歸他們居住，城邑的郊野可以牧養他們的牛羊和各樣的牲畜，又可以安置他們的財物。
35:4 你們給利未人的郊野，要從城根起，四圍往外量一千肘。
35:5 另外東量二千肘，南量二千肘，西量二千肘，北量二千肘，為邊界，城在當中；這要歸他們作城邑的郊野。
35:6 你們給利未人的城邑，其中當有六座逃城，使誤殺人的可以逃到那裡。此外還要給他們四十二座城。
35:7 你們要給利未人的城，共有四十八座，連城帶郊野都要給他們。
35:8 以色列人所得的地業從中要把些城邑給利未人；人多的就多給，人少的就少給；各支派要按所承受為業之地把城邑給利未人。」
35:9 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
35:10 「你吩咐以色列人說：你們過約旦河，進了迦南地，
35:11 就要分出幾座城，為你們作逃城，使誤殺人的可以逃到那裡。
35:12 這些城可以作逃避報仇人的城，使誤殺人的不至於死，等他站在會眾面前聽審判。
35:13 你們所分出來的城，要作六座逃城。
35:14 在約旦河東要分出三座城，在迦南地也要分出三座城，都作逃城。
35:15 這六座城要給以色列人和他們中間的外人，並寄居的，作為逃城，使誤殺人的都可以逃到那裡。
35:16 「倘若人用鐵器打人，以致打死，他就是故殺人的；故殺人的必被治死。
35:17 若用可以打死人的石頭打死了人，他就是故殺人的；故殺人的必被治死。
35:18 若用可以打死人的木器打死了人，他就是故殺人的；故殺人的必被治死。
35:19 報血仇的必親自殺那故殺人的，一遇見就殺他。
35:20 人若因怨恨把人推倒，或是埋伏往人身上扔物，以致於死，
35:21 或是因仇恨用手打人，以致於死，那打人的必被治死。他是故殺人的；報血仇的一遇見就殺他。
35:22 「倘若人沒有仇恨，忽然將人推倒，或是沒有埋伏把物扔在人身上，
35:23 或是沒有看見的時候用可以打死人的石頭扔在人身上，以致於死，本來與他無仇，也無意害他。
35:24 會眾就要照典章，在打死人的和報血仇的中間審判。
35:25 會眾要救這誤殺人的脫離報血仇人的手，也要使他歸入逃城。他要住在其中，直等到受聖膏的大祭司死了。
35:26 但誤殺人的，無論甚麼時候，若出了逃城的境外，
35:27 報血仇的在逃城境外遇見他，將他殺了，報血仇的就沒有流血之罪。
35:28 因為誤殺人的該住在逃城裡，等到大祭司死了。大祭司死了以後，誤殺人的才可以回到他所得為業之地。
35:29 這在你們一切的住處，要作你們世世代代的律例典章。
35:30 「無論誰故殺人，要憑幾個見證人的口把那故殺人的殺了，只是不可憑一個見證的口叫人死。
35:31 故殺人、犯死罪的，你們不可收贖價代替他的命；他必被治死。
35:32 那逃到逃城的人，你們不可為他收贖價，使他在大祭司未死以先再來住在本地。
35:33 這樣，你們就不污穢所住之地，因為血是污穢地的；若有在地上流人血的，非流那殺人者的血，那地就不得潔淨（原文是贖）。
35:34 你們不可玷污所住之地，就是我住在其中之地，因為我─耶和華住在以色列人中間。」

On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, ² “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. ³ Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals.

⁴ “The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits from the town wall. ⁵ Outside the town, measure two thousand cubits on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west and two thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.

⁶ “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. ⁷ In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. ⁸ 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.”

⁹ Then the Lord said to Moses: ¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, ¹¹ select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. ¹² They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly. ¹³ These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. ¹⁴ Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

¹⁶ “‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. ¹⁷ Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. ¹⁸ Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. ¹⁹ The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death. ²⁰ If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally so that they die ²¹ or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death; that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

²² “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally ²³ or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, ²⁴ the assembly must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. ²⁵ The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

²⁶ “‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled ²⁷ and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. ²⁸ The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.

²⁹ “‘This is to have the force of law for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.

³⁰ “‘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.

³¹ “‘Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.

³² “‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

³³ “‘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. ³⁴ Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’”

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    上帝對利未人的照顧十分有加，讓他們可以安心服事上帝和以色列百姓，賜給他們48座城，其中還有六座是逃城，可以讓因某些因素過失殺人的人有地方可躲避。這是一個很好的制度，對於無辜的人有所保護作用。

    說到逃城，讓人覺得教會需要扮演逃城的角色，可以設立機構，讓一些社會無法接納的人，有一個生存的空間，這也是一種生命的保護，也是展現上帝的憐憫與恩典之處。畢竟人事百百種，總是有一些比較特殊的人。但是現實社會常常不能容許這些少數的人，甚至殘害他們。教會既然是基督在世上的代表，更是要發揮庇謢的功能。

    願上帝賜下智慧和各樣的專業知識，也呼召有能力可以照護的同工，讓人感受到上帝的奇妙大愛。