The Meaning of Numbers 35:28 Explained

Numbers 35:28

KJV: Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

YLT: for in the city of his refuge he doth dwell till the death of the chief priest; and after the death of the chief priest doth the man-slayer turn back unto the city of his possession.

Darby: for the manslayer should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high-priest; but after the death of the high-priest he may return into the land of his possession.

ASV: because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return into the land of his possession.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because he should have remained  in the city  of his refuge  until the death  of the high  priest:  but after  the death  of the high  priest  the slayer  shall return  into the land  of his possession. 

What does Numbers 35:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 35:16-34 - The Penalty For The Murderer
For murder the penalty was death, Numbers 35:30-31; but for accidental homicide there was freedom within the city limits until the death of the high priest, when all these refugees might return to their homes with impunity. The institution of the blood-avenger was almost a necessity in those lands of scattered population and without communal organization. Here, without destroying the practice, it has been placed under careful limitations. We are our brethren's keepers, and instead of passing on a slander, we should stand for them against those who have wrongfully maligned them.
What an exquisite promise is contained in Numbers 35:34! To think that Jehovah actually dwelled in the Holy Land! He dwells also in each assembly of His saints and in our hearts. See Ezekiel 48:35; Matthew 18:20; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Revelation 21:3.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Numbers 35:28 mean?

because in his city of refuge he should have remained until the death of the priest High but after the death of the priest high may return the manslayer to the land of his possession
כִּ֣י בְעִ֤יר מִקְלָטוֹ֙ יֵשֵׁ֔ב עַד־ מ֖וֹת הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֑ל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י מוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּדֹ֔ל יָשׁוּב֙ הָרֹצֵ֔חַ אֶל־ אֶ֖רֶץ אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ

כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בְעִ֤יר  in  his  city 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
מִקְלָטוֹ֙  of  refuge 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִקְלָט  
Sense: refuge, asylum.
יֵשֵׁ֔ב  he  should  have  remained 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מ֖וֹת  the  death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
הַכֹּהֵ֣ן  of  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הַגָּדֹ֑ל  High 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וְאַחֲרֵ֥י  but  after 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
מוֹת֙  the  death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
הַכֹּהֵ֣ן  of  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הַגָּדֹ֔ל  high 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
יָשׁוּב֙  may  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
הָרֹצֵ֔חַ  the  manslayer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָצַח  
Sense: to murder, slay, kill.
אֶ֖רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ  of  his  possession 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֲחֻזָּה  
Sense: possession, property.