_A.M. 2553. B.C. 1451._ Of the cities of refuge, Deuteronomy 19:1. Of wilful murderers, Deuteronomy 19:11. Of removing landmarks, Deuteronomy 19:14. Of witnesses, true, Deuteronomy 19:15, or false, Deuteronomy 19:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
From enforcing the laws enacted against idolatry, and calculated to preserve and promote the purity of divine worship, Moses now proceeds to inculcate some important duties belonging to the second table, but not in any exact order, nor without interspersing some precepts respecting ceremonial matter... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt separate three cities for thee_ There were to be six cities of refuge in all, but Moses had already appointed three on that side of Jordan where they now were. See Numbers 35:14; Deuteronomy 4:41. _In the midst of thy land_ That is, in the midst of the several parts or districts of thy... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt prepare thee a way_ Make a plain road to them, keep it in good repair, and distinguish it by evident marks, to prevent delays and mistakes, that the manslayer might meet with no difficulty in escaping to the nearest city. _And divide the coasts of thy land_ Thy possessions on the west of... [ Continue Reading ]
_If the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast_ As far as the Euphrates. _If thou shalt keep all these commandments_ This shows that the promise of enlarging their border was conditional, and the condition not being performed the promise was never accomplished, so that there was no need for three more citie... [ Continue Reading ]
_The elders of his city_ The city of the manslayer. The sense is, that upon any information or suspicion of murder, laid against any one that had taken refuge in any of these cities, the magistrates of the town or district where the fact was committed, should send for the person out of the refuge-ci... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's land-mark_ Having provided for the preservation of the lives of innocent persons against such as might be disposed to take them away, he proceeds to give a charge for securing every man's right and property in other matters; and especially forbids all encroachm... [ Continue Reading ]
_One witness shall not rise up_ Or, _be established_, as the same word is rendered in the end of the verse; that is, shall not be accepted or owned as sufficient. _If a false witness rise up_ A single witness, though he speak truth, is not to be accepted for the condemnation of another man; but if h... [ Continue Reading ]
_An eye for an eye_ What punishment the law allotted to the accused, if he had been convicted, the same was the false accuser to bear.... [ Continue Reading ]