1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho, H3405 saying, H559
2 Command H6680 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they give H5414 unto the Levites H3881 of the inheritance H5159 of their possession H272 cities H5892 to dwell in; H3427 and ye shall give H5414 also unto the Levites H3881 suburbs H4054 for the cities H5892 round about H5439 them.
3 And the cities H5892 shall they have to dwell in; H3427 and the suburbs H4054 of them shall be for their cattle, H929 and for their goods, H7399 and for all their beasts. H2416
4 And the suburbs H4054 of the cities, H5892 which ye shall give H5414 unto the Levites, H3881 shall reach from the wall H7023 of the city H5892 and outward H2351 a thousand H505 cubits H520 round about. H5439
5 And ye shall measure H4058 from without H2351 the city H5892 on the east H6924 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits, H520 and on the south H5045 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits, H520 and on the west H3220 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits, H520 and on the north H6828 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits; H520 and the city H5892 shall be in the midst: H8432 this shall be to them the suburbs H4054 of the cities. H5892
6 And among the cities H5892 which ye shall give H5414 unto the Levites H3881 there shall be six H8337 cities H5892 for refuge, H4733 which ye shall appoint H5414 for the manslayer, H7523 that he may flee H5127 thither: and to them ye shall add H5414 forty H705 and two H8147 cities. H5892
7 So all the cities H5892 which ye shall give H5414 to the Levites H3881 shall be forty H705 and eight H8083 cities: H5892 them shall ye give with their suburbs. H4054
8 And the cities H5892 which ye shall give H5414 shall be of the possession H272 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 from them that have many H7227 ye shall give many; H7235 but from them that have few H4592 ye shall give few: H4591 every one H376 shall give H5414 of his cities H5892 unto the Levites H3881 according H6310 to his inheritance H5159 which he inheriteth. H5157
9 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
10 Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and say H559 unto them, When ye be come over H5674 Jordan H3383 into the land H776 of Canaan; H3667
11 Then ye shall appoint H7136 you cities H5892 to be cities H5892 of refuge H4733 for you; that the slayer H7523 may flee H5127 thither, which killeth H5221 any person H5315 at unawares. H7684
12 And they shall be unto you cities H5892 for refuge H4733 from the avenger; H1350 that the manslayer H7523 die H4191 not, until he stand H5975 before H6440 the congregation H5712 in judgment. H4941
13 And of these cities H5892 which ye shall give H5414 six H8337 cities H5892 shall ye have for refuge. H4733
14 Ye shall give H5414 three H7969 cities H5892 on this side H5676 Jordan, H3383 and three H7969 cities H5892 shall ye give H5414 in the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 which shall be cities H5892 of refuge. H4733
15 These six H8337 cities H5892 shall be a refuge, H4733 both for the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and for the stranger, H1616 and for the sojourner H8453 among H8432 them: that every one that killeth H5221 any person H5315 unawares H7684 may flee H5127 thither.
16 And if he smite H5221 him with an instrument H3627 of iron, H1270 so that he die, H4191 he is a murderer: H7523 the murderer H7523 shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
17 And if he smite H5221 him with throwing H3027 a stone, H68 wherewith he may die, H4191 and he die, H4191 he is a murderer: H7523 the murderer H7523 shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
18 Or if he smite H5221 him with an hand H3027 weapon H3627 of wood, H6086 wherewith he may die, H4191 and he die, H4191 he is a murderer: H7523 the murderer H7523 shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
19 The revenger H1350 of blood H1818 himself shall slay H4191 the murderer: H7523 when he meeteth H6293 him, he H1931 shall slay H4191 him.
20 But if he thrust H1920 him of hatred, H8135 or hurl H7993 at him by laying of wait, H6660 that he die; H4191
21 Or in enmity H342 smite H5221 him with his hand, H3027 that he die: H4191 he that smote H5221 him shall surely H4191 be put to death; H4191 for he is a murderer: H7523 the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 shall slay H4191 the murderer, H7523 when he meeteth H6293 him.
22 But if he thrust H1920 him suddenly H6621 without H3808 enmity, H342 or have cast H7993 upon him any thing H3627 without laying of wait, H6660
23 Or with any stone, H68 wherewith a man may die, H4191 seeing H7200 him not, H3808 and cast H5307 it upon him, that he die, H4191 and was not his enemy, H341 neither sought H1245 his harm: H7451
24 Then the congregation H5712 shall judge H8199 between the slayer H5221 and the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 according to these judgments: H4941
25 And the congregation H5712 shall deliver H5337 the slayer H7523 out of the hand H3027 of the revenger H1350 of blood, H1818 and the congregation H5712 shall restore H7725 him to the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 whither he was fled: H5127 and he shall abide H3427 in it unto the death H4194 of the high H1419 priest, H3548 which was anointed H4886 with the holy H6944 oil. H8081
26 But if the slayer H7523 shall at any time H3318 come H3318 without the border H1366 of the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 whither he was fled; H5127
27 And the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 find H4672 him without H2351 the borders H1366 of the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 and the revenger H1350 of blood H1818 kill H7523 the slayer; H7523 he shall not be guilty of blood: H1818
28 Because he should have remained H3427 in the city H5892 of his refuge H4733 until the death H4194 of the high H1419 priest: H3548 but after H310 the death H4194 of the high H1419 priest H3548 the slayer H7523 shall return H7725 into the land H776 of his possession. H272
29 So these things shall be for a statute H2708 of judgment H4941 unto you throughout your generations H1755 in all your dwellings. H4186
30 Whoso killeth H5221 any person, H5315 the murderer H7523 shall be put to death H7523 by the mouth H6310 of witnesses: H5707 but one H259 witness H5707 shall not testify H6030 against any person H5315 to cause him to die. H4191
31 Moreover ye shall take H3947 no satisfaction H3724 for the life H5315 of a murderer, H7523 which is guilty H7563 of death: H4191 but he shall be surely H4191 put to death. H4191
32 And ye shall take H3947 no satisfaction H3724 for him that is fled H5127 to the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 that he should come again H7725 to dwell H3427 in the land, H776 until the death H4194 of the priest. H3548
33 So ye shall not pollute H2610 the land H776 wherein ye are: for blood H1818 it defileth H2610 the land: H776 and the land H776 cannot be cleansed H3722 of the blood H1818 that is shed H8210 therein, but by the blood H1818 of him that shed H8210 it.
34 Defile H2930 not therefore the land H776 which ye shall inhabit, H3427 wherein H8432 I dwell: H7931 for I the LORD H3068 dwell H7931 among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 35
Commentary on Numbers 35 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 35
Nu 35:1-5. Eight and Forty Cities Given to the Levites.
2. give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in—As the Levites were to have no territorial domain allocated to them like the other tribes on the conquest of Canaan, they were to be distributed throughout the land in certain cities appropriated to their use; and these cities were to be surrounded by extensive suburbs. There is an apparent discrepancy between Nu 35:4 and Nu 35:5, with regard to the extent of these suburbs; but the statements in the two verses refer to totally different things—the one to the extent of the suburbs from the walls of the city, the other to the space of two thousand cubits from their extremity. In point of fact, there was an extent of ground, amounting to three thousand cubits, measured from the wall of the city. One thousand were most probably occupied with outhouses for the accommodation of shepherds and other servants, with gardens, vineyards, or oliveyards. And these which were portioned out to different families (1Ch 6:60) might be sold by one Levite to another, but not to any individual of another tribe (Jer 32:7). The other two thousand cubits remained a common for the pasturing of cattle (Le 25:34) and, considering their number, that space would be fully required.
Nu 35:6-8. Cities of Refuge.
6. there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer—The establishment of those privileged sanctuaries among the cities of the Levites is probably traceable to the idea, that they would be the most suitable and impartial judges—that their presence and counsels might calm or restrain the stormy passions of the blood avenger—and that, from their being invested with the sacred character, they might be types of Christ, in whom sinners find a refuge from the destroyer (see De 4:43; Jos 20:8).
8. the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel—The burden of furnishing those places for the residence and support of the Levitical order was to fall in equitable proportions upon the different tribes (see Nu 33:54; Jos 20:7).
Nu 35:9-34. The Blood Avenger.
11. that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares—The practice of Goelism, that is, of the nearest relation of an individual who was killed being bound to demand satisfaction from the author of his death, existed from a very remote antiquity (Ge 4:14; 27:45). It seems to have been an established usage in the age of Moses; and although in a rude and imperfect state of society, it is a natural and intelligible principle of criminal jurisprudence, it is liable to many great abuses; the chief of the evils inseparable from it is that the kinsman, who is bound in duty and honor to execute justice, will often be precipitate—little disposed, in the heat of passion or under the impulse of revenge, to examine into the circumstances of the case, to discriminate between the premeditated purpose of the assassin and the misfortune of the unintentional homicide. Moreover, it had a tendency, not only to foster a vindictive spirit, but in case of the Goel being unsuccessful in finding his victim, to transmit animosities and feuds against his descendants from one generation to another. This is exemplified among the Arabs in the present day. Should an Arab of one tribe happen to kill one of another tribe, there is "blood" between the tribes, and the stain can only be wiped out by the death of some individual of the tribe with which the offense originated. Sometimes the penalty is commuted by the payment of a stipulated number of sheep or camels. But such an equivalent, though offered, is as often refused, and blood has to be repaid only by blood. This practice of Goelism obtained among the Hebrews to such an extent that it was not perhaps expedient to abolish it; and Moses, while sanctioning its continuance, was directed, by divine authority, to make some special regulations, which tended both to prevent the unhappy consequences of sudden and personal vengeance, and, at the same time, to afford an accused person time and means of proving his innocence. This was the humane and equitable end contemplated in the institution of cities of refuge. There were to be six of these legalized asyla, three on the east of Jordan, both because the territory there was equal in length, though not in breadth, to Canaan, and because it might be more convenient for some to take refuge across the border. They were appointed for the benefit, not of the native Israelites only, but of all resident strangers.
16-21. If he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, &c.—Various cases are here enumerated in which the Goel or avenger was at liberty to take the life of the murderer; and every one of them proves a premeditated purpose.
22-28. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, &c.—Under the excitement of a sudden provocation, or violent passion, an injury might be inflicted issuing in death; and for a person who had thus undesignedly committed slaughter, the Levitical cities offered the benefit of full protection. Once having reached the nearest, for one or other of them was within a day's journey of all parts of the land, he was secure. But he had to "abide in it." His confinement within its walls was a wise and salutary rule, designed to show the sanctity of human blood in God's sight, as well as to protect the manslayer himself, whose presence and intercourse in society might have provoked the passions of the deceased's relatives. But the period of his release from this confinement was not until the death of the high priest. That was a season of public affliction, when private sorrows were sunk or overlooked under a sense of the national calamity, and when the death of so eminent a servant of God naturally led all to serious consideration about their own mortality. The moment, however, that the refugee broke through the restraints of his confinement and ventured beyond the precincts of the asylum, he forfeited the privilege, and, if he was discovered by his pursuer, he might be slain with impunity.
29-34. 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. By the appointment of cities of refuge, the manslayer was saved, in the meantime, from the blind and impetuous fury of vindictive relatives; but he might be tried by the local court, and, if proved guilty on sufficient evidence, condemned and punished as a murderer, without the possibility of deliverance by any pecuniary satisfaction. The enactment of Moses, which was an adaptation to the character and usages of the Hebrew people, secured the double advantage of promoting the ends both of humanity and of justice.