This section at the end of Numbers 35 may seem like a random insertion of murder laws, which isn’t too random when you consider the previous context, but still seems borderline out-of-place.
After all, why are we talking about general principles for the punishment of a homicide when we’ve already talked about every nuance of the blood-redeemer, manslayer, and city of refuge in this chapter so far?
As it turns out, the thoughts are connected—although it’s not as obvious as it may seem, depending on your translation.
For instance, my translation (New American Standard Bible) simply talks about someone that kills another person (Numbers 35:30). That could literally apply to anyone who murders another human.
But when you dip into other translations, like the Amplified Bible (which is called such because it inserts words in parentheses that helps understand the meaning of the Text), you read that the murderer in question is someone who does so “intentionally.”
In other words, exactly like the person who lied in wait for his friend and killed him out of malice.
The following verses finish this connection, Numbers 35:31-32 talk about a murderer who was found guilty of death but has sought sanctuary in a city of refuge. If he’s guilty, you must execute him. There are no other options.
God understands that in a situation like this, where human judges are determining life-or-death guilt, that the temptation exists to take a bribe or two. Or exchange the sentence of death for a lump monetary payment—the ransom.
That won’t happen. It can’t happen. If a person takes a life intentionally, that person must pay with their own life. You will not take a ransom…period. If you do, the land is polluted and everyone suffers as a result.
To be fair, the Text lays out a huge condition: You have to have the testimony of two or more witnesses (Numbers 35:30). A single witness could have a grudge against the manslayer, so the judgment needs verification from multiple sources.
To take this a step further, God even says that “no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.” What that means is that a friend can’t substitute himself in the murderer’s place. As good a friend as he may be, that doesn’t pay the penalty. Only the murderer can pay the price for his sins.
This shows the radical nature of God’s grace. We’re not murderers (I hope), but the idea that Jesus paid the price for our sins is almost unfathomable under Old Testament justice. That’s not how it works. How does it work with Jesus?
That’s easy—we’re not under the Old Testament anymore. With His death, Jesus enacted a new covenant. With His death, Jesus paid the price for our sins. With His death, we are made free from our own cities of refuge where we may seek forgiveness for our sins.
That’s what mercy is all about. A friend can’t do that; only God Himself.