INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 35
Though the tribe of Levi had no part in the division of the land, yet
cities out of the several tribes are here ordered to be given them to
dwell in, to the number of forty eight, Numbers 35:1, six of which
were to be cities of refuge, Numbers 35:9, but not for wilful
mur... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE TO MOSES,.... After he had described the borders of
the land, and given instructions about the division of it among the
several tribes, and named the persons that should be concerned in
parting and putting it into the possession of the Israelites, he makes
a provision for the Levi... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... All the tribes of them; it is not
a bare instruction that is given them, much less a mere request that
is made to them, or something proposed, and left to their option
whether they would agree to it or not; but it is strictly enjoined
them by the Lord, who had giv... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CITIES SHALL THEY HAVE TO DWELL IN,.... For them and their
families, and indeed for nothing else, they having no trades nor
worldly business to carry on in them:
AND THE SUBURBS OF THEM SHALL BE FOR THEIR CATTLE; for stables and
stalls to put them up in, and for barns and storehouses to lay in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SUBURBS OF THE CITIES WHICH YE SHALL GIVE UNTO THE
LEVITES,.... The dimensions and bounds of them were not left to the
Israelites, to give what ground they pleased for this purpose, but
were fixed to what length they should be: these
[SHALL REACH] FROM THE WALLS OF THE CITY, AND OUTWARD, A... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL MEASURE FROM WITHOUT THE CITY ON THE EAST SIDE TWO
THOUSAND CUBITS,.... Before only 1000 cubits were ordered to be
measured, and now 2000, even 2000 more, which were to be added to the
other, and to begin where they ended. The first 1000 were for their
cattle and goods, these 2000 for... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AMONG THE CITIES WHICH YE SHALL GIVE UNTO THE LEVITES,.... The
number of which is not yet expressed, but is afterwards: there shall
be
SIX CITIES FOR REFUGE; a sort of asylums, of which there were many
among the Heathens, perhaps in imitation of these, for persons to have
recourse to for safety... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ALL THE CITIES WHICH YE SHALL GIVE TO THE LEVITES SHALL BE FORTY
EIGHT CITIES,.... Of these forty eight cities, their names, and what
tribes they were in, and which of them were particularly cities of
refuge, an account is given in Joshua 21:10:
THEM SHALL YE GIVE, WITH THEIR SUBURBS; according... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CITIES WHICH YE SHALL GIVE SHALL BE OF THE POSSESSION OF THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... What shall fall by lot for their inheritance,
and they shall be possessed of; and though they are, shall not refuse,
nor grudge to give them, according to the direction of God, whose the
land is, they holdin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... At the same time, or he continued
his speech unto him:
SAYING: as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM,.... Now,
directly:
WHEN YE COME OVER JORDAN INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN; as they quickly
would, being now very near it, and of which there was the utmost
certainty, since the Lord had promised to bring them over that river,
and put them in possessio... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN YE SHALL APPOINT YOUR CITIES TO BE CITIES OF REFUGE FOR YOU,....
And, according to the Jewish writers i, these were neither to be made
large nor little, but middling; and they appointed them where there
were markets and fairs, at which goods were to be sold; and where
there was plenty of water,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL BE UNTO YOU CITIES OF REFUGE FROM THE AVENGER,.... Or
near kinsman; for as the right of redemption of an estate that was
mortgaged belonged to such an one, so of revenging the blood of any
one that was killed:
THAT THE MANSLAYER DIE NOT; by the hand of the avenger, who in the
heat of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF THESE CITIES WHICH YE SHALL GIVE,.... Of the forty eight cities
they were to give to the Levites, Numbers 35:7,
SIX CITIES SHALL YE HAVE FOR REFUGE; which, I think, makes it clear,
that not all the forty eight cities were for refuge, only six of them.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL GIVE THREE CITES ON THIS SIDE JORDAN,.... Which were Bezer in
the wilderness, out of the tribe of Reuben; and Ramoth in Gilead, out
of the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, out of the tribe of
Manasseh, Joshua 20:8,
AND THREE CITIES SHALL YE GIVE IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: which were
Kadesh i... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE SIX CITIES SHALL BE A REFUGE BOTH FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND
FOR THE STRANGER,.... For an Israelite, and a proselyte of
righteousness, one that embraced the Jewish religion, and in all
things conformed to it, and to whom there was but one law in things
civil and religious:
AND FOR THE SOJ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF HE SMITE HIM WITH AN INSTRUMENT OF IRON, SO THAT HE DIE,.... As
with an hatchet, hammer, sword, knife, c.
HE IS A MURDERER the instrument used by him, and with which he smote,
shows that he had a bad design, and intended to kill, or he would
never have smitten a man with such an instrument:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF HE SMITE HIM WITH THROWING A STONE,.... "Or with a stone of the
hand" q, which the Jews interpret of a stone so big as to fill a man's
hand, and so
WHEREWITH HE MAY DIE; at whom it is thrown; is sufficient to cause his
death, if struck with it; so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it of
a... [ Continue Reading ]
OR IF HE SMOTE HIM WITH AN HAND WEAPON OF WOOD,.... A stick, or staff,
or club:
WHEREWITH HE MAY DIE, AND HE DIE; which is sufficient to kill a man,
as the same Targum explains it; and a man dies with the blow that is
given him by it:
HE IS A MURDERER, AND THE MURDERER SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REVENGER OF BLOOD HIMSELF SHALL SLAY THE MURDERER,.... Not only
shall have power to do it, but, as it seems, should be obliged to do
it; be the executioner of the murderer; but not before his case has
been heard, examined, tried, and judged; wherefore the Targum of
Jonathan adds,
"in judgment,'... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF HE THRUST HIM OF HATRED,.... Or, "and if" r, since the
Scripture is still speaking of such that shall die for murder, though
in another instance, without having the privilege of a city of refuge;
if he thrusts him with a sword or knife, or rather, since, if anything
of that kind is included i... [ Continue Reading ]
OR IN ENMITY SMITE HIM WITH HIS HAND, THAT HE DIE,.... Give him a blow
with his fist, on some part of his body where life is most in danger,
and which issues in death:
HE THAT SMOTE HIM SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH, FOR HE IS A MURDERER;
and therefore, according to the original law, ought to die, w... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF HE THRUST HIM SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ENMITY,.... Push him from a
precipice, before he is aware, without any malicious design against
his life, but merely through accident:
OR HAVE CAST UPON HIM ANYTHING; from the top of a house, or from a
building he is pulling down, or pushes a bowing wall upon... [ Continue Reading ]
OR WITH ANY STONE WHEREWITH A MAN MAY DIE,.... Which is sufficient to
kill a man, if thrown at him:
SEEING HIM NOT; and so without intention: the Jews s from hence
gather, that a blind man is to be acquitted and dismissed, and not
banished and so stands in no need of a city of refuge; though others... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE CONGREGATION,.... That is, the court of judicature, assembled
together to hear and try this cause:
SHALL JUDGE BETWEEN THE SLAYER AND THE REVENGER OF BLOOD; shall hear
what both have to say, and pass sentence:
ACCORDING TO THESE JUDGMENTS; these judicial laws and rules of
judgment before... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CONGREGATION SHALL DELIVER THE SLAYER OUT OF THE HAND OF THE
AVENGER OF BLOOD,.... Put him under the care of proper persons, to
conduct him to one of the cities of refuge, or put him in the way to
it; and restrain the avenger of blood from pursuing him, until such
time that it may be judged... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THE SLAYER SHALL AT ANY TIME COME WITHOUT THE BORDER OF THE
CITY OF HIS REFUGE,.... Which seems to be the three thousand cubits
assigned to every city of the Levites, and so to the cities of refuge;
and which, according to the Jewish writers, were a refuge, as the city
itself; and it is said... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE REVENGER OF BLOOD FIND HIM WITHOUT THE BORDERS OF THE CITY OF
HIS REFUGE,.... Without the suburbs, fields, and vineyards belonging
to it:
AND THE REVENGER OF BLOOD KILL THE SLAYER; being exasperated against
him, and to avenge the blood of his relation on him:
HE SHALL NOT BE GUILTY OF BLOO... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE HE SHOULD HAVE REMAINED IN THE CITY OF HIS REFUGE UNTIL THE
DEATH OF THE HIGH PRIEST,.... Nothing could give him his liberty but
his death; so that though this was a merciful provision made in such
cases for such persons, and was a considerable benefit and privilege,
yet it carried in it som... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THESE THINGS SHALL BE FOR A STATUTE OF JUDGMENT UNTO YOU,.... A
judicial law, according to which they were to proceed in all the above
cases:
THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS IN ALL YOUR DWELLINGS; throughout all
ages, as long as they dwelt in the land of Canaan, even unto the times
of the Messiah, i... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO KILLETH ANY PERSON,.... Willingly, and through enmity and
malice:
THE MURDERER SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH BY THE MOUTH OF TWO WITNESSES;
which is repeated partly to show, that this law concerning the cities
of refuge was not designed to screen a murderer, who was guilty
through malice prepense; an... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, YE SHALL TAKE NO SATISFACTION FOR THE LIFE OF A
MURDERER,.... Though he would give all his wealth and substance, all
his estates and possessions, and whatever he is worth in the world;
for all that a man has he will give for his life; but these are not to
be taken, nor anything, and everyt... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, YE SHALL TAKE NO SATISFACTION FOR HIM THAT IS FLED TO THE
CITY OF HIS REFUGE,.... Though for killing a man unawares:
THAT HE SHOULD COME AGAIN TO DWELL IN THE LAND, UNTIL THE DEATH OF THE
PRIEST; the high priest; such a man's liberty was not to be purchased
with money, nor even his life t... [ Continue Reading ]
SO YE SHALL NOT POLLUTE THE LAND WHEREIN YE ARE,.... The land of
Canaan, as it had been by the old inhabitants of it, by idolatry,
adultery, and murder:
FOR BLOOD IT DEFILETH THE LAND: the shedding of innocent blood defiles
a nation, and the inhabitants of it, brings guilt thereon, and
subjects to... [ Continue Reading ]
DEFILE NOT THEREFORE THE LAND WHICH YE SHALL INHERIT,.... By the
commission of such atrocious crimes, or suffering them to go
unpunished, or by taking a compensation for the life of the guilty
person:
WHEREIN I DWELL; which is added to strengthen the exhortation, and as
giving a reason why care sho... [ Continue Reading ]