Numbers 35:30
in Numbers 35If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.
KJV
Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
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This verse in Numbers 35
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut one witness shall not testify against any - This was a just and necessary provision. One may be mistaken, or so violently prejudiced as to impose even on his own judgment, or so wicked as to endeavor through malice to compass the life of his neighbor: but it is not likely that two or more should be of this kind; and even were they, their separate examination would lead to a discovery of the truth, and to their conviction.
This site's exposition
a statutory ordinance for you
on Numbers 35:29-30
Verse 30 forbids a death "based on the testimony of a lone witness", a rule Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15 repeat. Adam Clarke's practical ground is that one man may be mistaken or malicious, and separate examinations expose the difference.
This site's exposition
the testimony of a lone witness
Albert Barnes reads witnesses as two at the least. He says the rules of these closing verses protect the chapter from abuse. In his reading the cities of refuge were meant to shelter the innocent slayer and never to spare a criminal his deserved punishment.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
); this law is settled in all capital cases, Deut. xvii. And, lastly, not only the prosecution, but the execution, of the murderer, is committed to the next of kin, who, as he was to be the redeemer of his kinsman's estate if it were mortgaged, so he was to be the avenger of his blood if he were murdered (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
Whoso killeth any person,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations--The law of the blood-avenger, as thus established by divine authority, was a vast improvement on the ancient practice of Goelism.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
By the mouth of witnesses - i. e. two witnesses, at the least (compare the marginal references). The provisions of this and the following verses protect the enactments of this chapter from abuse. The cities of refuge were not intended to exempt a criminal from deserved punishment.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | kol- | any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַ֨כֵּה־ | makeh- | [one who] strikes down | H5221 → | 499 times |
| נֶ֔פֶשׁ | nefesh | <of> a person | H5315 → | 754 times |
| לְפִ֣י | lefi | to [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| עֵדִ֔ים | ʾedim | witnesses | H5707 → | 70 times |
| יִרְצַ֖ח | yirtzach | someone will kill | H7523 → | 47 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָרֹצֵ֑חַ | harotzeach | the killer | H7523 → | 47 times |
| וְעֵ֣ד | veed | and a witness | H5707 → | 70 times |
| אֶחָ֔ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַעֲנֶ֥ה | yaaneh | he will testify | H6030 → | 331 times |
| בְנֶ֖פֶשׁ | venefesh | against anyone | H5315 → | 754 times |
| לָמֽוּת׃ | lamut | to die | H4191 → | 839 times |
כָּל־any
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מַ֨כֵּה־[one who] strikes down
makeh-H5221 →499 times
נֶ֔פֶשׁ<of> a person
nefeshH5315 →754 times
לְפִ֣יto [the] mouth of
lefiH6310 →498 times
עֵדִ֔יםwitnesses
ʾedimH5707 →70 times
יִרְצַ֖חsomeone will kill
yirtzachH7523 →47 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָרֹצֵ֑חַthe killer
harotzeachH7523 →47 times
וְעֵ֣דand a witness
veedH5707 →70 times
אֶחָ֔דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יַעֲנֶ֥הhe will testify
yaanehH6030 →331 times
בְנֶ֖פֶשׁagainst anyone
venefeshH5315 →754 times
לָמֽוּת׃to die
lamutH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 18:16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 19:15
A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- John 8:17
Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Timothy 5:19
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Deuteronomy 19:15
Through
2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
it leads to
- Matthew 18:16
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 17:6
On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 8:17–18
Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
- Matthew 18:16
Through
Deuteronomy 19:15A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or…
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:28
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 10:28
Where this verse is studied
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; MannaFest exposition, Berean Standard Bible, Numbers 35 read with Deuteronomy 19 and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.