John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 20:5
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him ,.... To the city of refuge, whither he is fled, and demand him: then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hands ; to be slain by him, but shall protect him: because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime ; See Gill on Numbers 35:22 ; see Gill on Numbers 35:23 , and See Gill on Deuteronomy 19:6 . read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 20:1-6
Many things were by the law of Moses ordered to be done when they came to Canaan and this among the rest, the appointing of sanctuaries for the protecting of those that were guilty of casual murder, which was a privilege to all Israel, since no man could be sure but some time or other it might be his own case; and it was for the interest of the land that the blood of an innocent person, whose hand only was guilty but not his heart, should not be shed, no, not by the avenger of blood: of this... read more