John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:33
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 punishment: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it ; or "there can be no expiation" F2 לא יכפר "non posset... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 35:9-34
We have here the orders given concerning the cities of refuge, fitly annexed to what goes before, because they were all Levites? cities. In this part of the constitution there is a great deal both of good law and pure gospel. I. Here is a great deal of good law, in the case of murder and manslaughter, a case of which the laws of all nations have taken particular cognizance. It is here enacted and provided, consonant to natural equity, 1. That wilful murder should be punished with death, and in... read more