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.
If one be found H4672 slain H2491 in the land H127 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee to possess H3423 it, lying H5307 in the field, H7704 and it be not known H3045 who hath slain H5221 him: Then thy elders H2205 and thy judges H8199 shall come forth, H3318 and they shall measure H4058 unto the cities H5892 which are round about H5439 him that is slain: H2491 And it shall be, that the city H5892 which is next H7138 unto the slain man, H2491 even the elders H2205 of that city H5892 shall take H3947 an heifer, H1241 H5697 which hath not been wrought with, H5647 and which hath not drawn H4900 in the yoke; H5923 And the elders H2205 of that city H5892 shall bring down H3381 the heifer H5697 unto a rough H386 valley, H5158 which is neither eared H5647 nor sown, H2232 and shall strike off H6202 the heifer's H5697 neck H6202 there in the valley: H5158 And the priests H3548 the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 shall come near; H5066 for them the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath chosen H977 to minister H8334 unto him, and to bless H1288 in the name H8034 of the LORD; H3068 and by their word H6310 shall every controversy H7379 and every stroke H5061 be tried: And all the elders H2205 of that city, H5892 that are next H7138 unto the slain H2491 man, shall wash H7364 their hands H3027 over the heifer H5697 that is beheaded H6202 in the valley: H5158 And they shall answer H6030 and say, H559 Our hands H3027 have not shed H8210 this blood, H1818 neither have our eyes H5869 seen H7200 it. Be merciful, H3722 O LORD, H3068 unto thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 whom thou hast redeemed, H6299 and lay H5414 not innocent H5355 blood H1818 unto thy people H5971 of Israel's H3478 charge. H7130 And the blood H1818 shall be forgiven H3722 them.
Son H1121 of man, H120 say H559 unto her, Thou art the land H776 that is not cleansed, H2891 nor rained H1656 upon in the day H3117 of indignation. H2195 There is a conspiracy H7195 of her prophets H5030 in the midst H8432 thereof, like a roaring H7580 lion H738 ravening H2963 the prey; H2964 they have devoured H398 souls; H5315 they have taken H3947 the treasure H2633 and precious things; H3366 they have made her many H7235 widows H490 in the midst H8432 thereof. Her priests H3548 have violated H2554 my law, H8451 and have profaned H2490 mine holy things: H6944 they have put no difference H914 between the holy H6944 and profane, H2455 neither have they shewed H3045 difference between the unclean H2931 and the clean, H2889 and have hid H5956 their eyes H5869 from my sabbaths, H7676 and I am profaned H2490 among H8432 them. Her princes H8269 in the midst H7130 thereof are like wolves H2061 ravening H2963 the prey, H2964 to shed H8210 blood, H1818 and to destroy H6 souls, H5315 to get H1214 dishonest gain. H1215
By swearing, H422 and lying, H3584 and killing, H7523 and stealing, H1589 and committing adultery, H5003 they break out, H6555 and blood H1818 toucheth H5060 blood. H1818 Therefore shall the land H776 mourn, H56 and every one that dwelleth H3427 therein shall languish, H535 with the beasts H2416 of the field, H7704 and with the fowls H5775 of heaven; H8064 yea, the fishes H1709 of the sea H3220 also shall be taken away. H622
Wherefore G5620 ye be witnesses G3140 unto yourselves, G1438 that G3754 ye are G2075 the children G5207 of them which killed G5407 the prophets. G4396 Fill G4137 ye G5210 up G4137 then G2532 the measure G3358 of your G5216 fathers. G3962 Ye serpents, G3789 ye generation G1081 of vipers, G2191 how G4459 can ye G5343 escape G575 the damnation G2920 of hell? G1067 Wherefore, G1223 G5124 behold, G2400 I G1473 send G649 unto G4314 you G5209 prophets, G4396 and G2532 wise men, G4680 and G2532 scribes: G1122 and G2532 some of G1537 them G846 ye shall kill G615 and G2532 crucify; G4717 and G2532 some of G1537 them G846 shall ye scourge G3146 in G1722 your G5216 synagogues, G4864 and G2532 persecute G1377 them from G575 city G4172 to G1519 city: G4172 That G3704 upon G1909 you G5209 may come G2064 all G3956 the righteous G1342 blood G129 shed G1632 upon G1909 the earth, G1093 from G575 the blood G129 of righteous G1342 Abel G6 unto G2193 the blood G129 of Zacharias G2197 son G5207 of Barachias, G914 whom G3739 ye slew G5407 between G3342 the temple G3485 and G2532 the altar. G2379
That G2443 the blood G129 of all G3956 the prophets, G4396 which G3588 was shed G1632 from G575 the foundation G2602 of the world, G2889 may be required G1567 of G575 this G5026 generation; G1074 From G575 the blood G129 of Abel G6 unto G2193 the blood G129 of Zacharias, G2197 which G3588 perished G622 between G3342 the altar G2379 and G2532 the temple: G3624 verily G3483 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 It shall be required G1567 of G575 this G5026 generation. G1074
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.