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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:29

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, in whom the things figured hereby had their accomplishment: the cities of refuge were types of Christ: hence a divine person, even the Messiah, is often spoken of as the refuge of his people, ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:11

Ye shall appoint - cities of refuge - The cities of refuge among the Israelites were widely different from the asyla among the Greeks and Romans, as also from the privileged altars among the Roman Catholics. Those among the Hebrews were for the protection of such only as had slain a person involuntarily. The temples and altars among the latter often served for the protection of the most profligate characters. Cities of refuge among the Hebrews were necessary, because the old patriarchal law... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:12

Until he stand before the congregation in judgment - So one of these cities was not a perpetual asylum; It was only a pro tempore refuge, till the case could be fairly examined by the magistrates in the presence of the people, or the elders their representatives; and this was done in the city or place where he had done the murder, Joshua 20:4 , Joshua 20:6 . If he was found worthy of death, they delivered him to the avenger that he might be slain, Deuteronomy 19:12 ; if not, they sent... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:19

The revenger of blood - הדם גאל goel haddam , the redeemer of blood; the next in blood to him who was slain. See on Numbers 35:12 ; (note). read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:10

Verse 10 10.Speak unto the children of Israel God appointed the cities of refuge, not only to make distinction between sills of malice and error, but also lest innocent blood should be rashly shed. Thus far we have seen how severely He would have murder punished: but, inasmuch as it would have been by no means just that he, who had not willfully but accidentally killed his neighbor, should be hurried away to the same punishment, to which willful murderers were subjected, an exception is added... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:16

Verse 16 16.And if he smite him with an instrument of iron. God appears to contradict Himself, when, a little further on, He absolves involuntary murderers, although they may have inflicted the wound with iron or with a stone; whilst here He absolutely declares that whosoever shall smite another with wood, or iron, or a stone, shall be guilty of death; but this is easily explained if we consider his meaning; for, after having pardoned the unintentional act (errori,) lest (53) any should... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:19

Verse 19 19.The revenger (55) of blood himself. When God commanded that murderers should suffer death, He required that they should be condemned by the judges after due trial; but it seems to savor somewhat of barbarism, that he should now permit the relative of the dead man to take vengeance; for it is a very bad precedent to give the power of the sword to private individuals, and this too in their own cause. It; was indeed formerly permitted, as we shall see in its proper place, to put to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:28

Verse 28 28.Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge. The period of banishment is prescribed, “until the death of the high-priest,” because it would have been anything but humane that all hopes of restoration should have been cut off from the unhappy exile; and, when a new priest succeeded to reconcile the people to God, this renewal of grace was to propitiate all offenses. Wherefore it was not unreasonable that God should entirely restore those who were only punished for... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Numbers 35:12

The avenger - Hebrew גאל gā'al, a term of which the original import is uncertain. The very obscurity of its etymology testifies to the antiquity of the office which it denotes. That office rested on the principle of Genesis 9:6, “whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” The unwritten code of the East conceded to the nearest kinsman of a murdered man the right of avenging the blood that had been shed. Such rude justice necessarily involved grave evils. It gave no opportunity... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Numbers 35:16-25

The sense is: Inasmuch as to take another man’s life by any means whatsoever is murder, and exposes the murderer to the penalty of retaliation; so, if the deed is done in hostility, it is in truth actual murder, and the murderer shall be slain; but if it be not done in hostility, then the congregation shall interpose to stop the avenger’s hand.Numbers 35:19When he meeteth him - Provided, of course, it were without a city of refuge.Numbers 35:24The case of the innocent slayer is here... read more

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