Cities, in all forty-eight, with a thousand paces round them. This land belonged to the community: but some built upon it, Josue xxi. 18., and 1 Paralipomenon vi. 60. The burial place for the Levites lay behind it. (Drusius) --- In these cities alone, the Levites had houses and gardens of their own;... [ Continue Reading ]
Paces. This is equivalent to 2000 cubits, (ver. 5,) or a sabbath day's journey. (Selden, Jur. iii. 9.; St. Jerome, q. 9. ad algas.) Hebrew retains the same word, amma, "cubit," in both verses: but some copies of the Septuagint, Philo, and Josephus, have "2000 cubits," (Calmet) which Dr. Wall and Ken... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sea. Hebrew simply, "on the west side 2000 cubits, and on the north side 2000 cubits, and the city in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the city."_... [ Continue Reading ]
Cities. Maimonides pretends, that all forty-eight cities of the Levites were asylums; though only six were bound to receive the fugitive gratis. Moses had promised a place of refuge, which he now grants, Exodus xxi. 13. The altar and temple enjoyed the like privilege: the latter even till its destru... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XXXV.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kinsman, the nearest relation, who was called the revenger of blood, (ver. 25, 27.; Haydock) or the redeemer, because it was his duty to see that justice was done to the deceased. When the person, who had involuntarily committed murder, arrived at the city, he was to make his appearance before the... [ Continue Reading ]
_If, &c. Hebrew, "or he smite him with a wooden weapon, (wherewith he may die,) and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death." The two former verses are expressed in the same awful manner, intimating that the weapon must be of such a nature that it might easily give a mort... [ Continue Reading ]
_Him, with impunity. If the judges have passed sentence, he shall be obliged to put it in execution, ver. 21, 31. (St. Augustine, q. 65.) (Estius) --- The laws of Athens required also that a relation should put the murderer to death, though the deceased were even of servile condition. (Demost.) ---... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kill him. It seems, when the case was evident, he was not only permitted, but commanded to punish the criminal. (Bonfrere) (Deuteronomy xix. 12.) (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Delivered. Hebrew, "the multitude shall deliver the slayer." It seems the judges pronounced sentence, according to the votes of the people assembled; (Calmet) or the plurality of voices among the 21 judges decided the matter. (Grotius) (Haydock) --- High priest. This mystically signified that our de... [ Continue Reading ]
_Him. Custom explained this law, as giving leave to any person to inflict the punishment upon the wandering murderer, though the relation seem only to be specified. (Grotius) --- Some think, that to kill such a person was still criminal in the sight of God. But others believe that, as he had forfeit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Man. A person might be tried on such evidence, Deuteronomy xix. 15._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cities. Hebrew, "you shall take no money to retire to a city of refuge, to return into his own country, till the death of the priest." The Septuagint supply, "you shall take no redemption money, to permit (a voluntary murderer) to flee into a city of refuge, (nor of an involuntary one,) to return,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Defile not. To inspire a greater horror for murder the earth was represented as defiled by blood, and only to be purified by the death of the criminal. Without shedding of blood, there is no remission, Hebrews ix. 22. (Haydock) --- On the same principle, our churches, &c., are deemed profane when m... [ Continue Reading ]