Numbers 35:34 NIV

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:34

Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inherit ,.... By the commission of such atrocious crimes, or suffering them to go unpunished, or by taking a compensation for the life of the guilty person: wherein I dwell ; which is added to strengthen the exhortation, and as giving a reason why care should be taken not to pollute it, because the Holy God dwells there; as he did in the tabernacle erected for him, and in such a peculiar manner as he did not in other lands: for I the Lord... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Numbers 35:34

For I the Lord dwell ... - An emphatic protest against all enactment or relaxation of laws by men for their own private convenience. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Numbers 35:34

Numbers 35:34. Defile not the land wherein I dwell It is often assigned as a reason why they should put away all polluted persons and things out of their camp and land, because God dwelt in them, by his peculiar presence, whence this land was called the Holy Land. It is the case of all crimes, that they defile the land in which they are committed, and render it odious and unclean in the sight of God; but it is more especially true of murder, which is the highest of all injuries against... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:1-34

Cities for the Levites (35:1-34)Levi had no tribal area of its own, but received cities, with surrounding pasture lands, in each of the other tribes. There were forty-eight Levitical cities, the number in each tribe being in proportion to the size of the tribe. This ensured that those responsible for teaching God’s law to the people were evenly scattered throughout Israel (35:1-8).Among these forty-eight cities were six cities of refuge, three west of Jordan and three east. These were cities... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Numbers 35:34

Defile not = Defile thou not. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum of Onkelos, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "Defile ye not". wherein = in the midst of which. among = in the midst of. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Numbers 35:9-34

Cities of refuge 35:9-34Six of these Levitical towns were also cities of refuge.The appointment of cities of refuge was a divine provision for the safety of a killer who was not guilty of premeditated murder (cf. Deuteronomy 19:1-13; Joshua 20). God had told the Israelites not to murder (Exodus 20:13). The right and duty of man to execute murderers was ancient (Genesis 4:15; Genesis 9:5-6). Ancient Near Easterners practiced capital punishment widely as part of the law of retaliation. The Mosaic... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:1-34

The Levitical Cities. The Cities of Refugie1-8. The Levitical Cities.The tribe of Levi received no part of the land of Canaan as their inheritance (Numbers 18:20-24; Numbers 26:62). By way of compensation they received the tithes for their support (Numbers 18:21). It is here further provided that 48 cities with their suburbs be allotted to them out of the inheritance of the other tribes, for the maintenance of themselves and their herds. The carrying out of this injunction is recorded in Joshua... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Numbers 35:1-34

Jesus Christ Our Refuge Numbers 35:6 I. The Cities of Refuge were so placed, three on either side of Jordan, that they provided the greatest possible readiness of access. The devout imagination has always pictured for the cities conditions almost ideal in character. The gates of the cities, like those of the New Jerusalem, were to be kept always open, both day and night. The refugee, whether an Israelite or a stranger, was safe the moment he entered the gate of the city of refuge. This... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:1-34

THE CITIES OF REFUGENumbers 35:1-34; Numbers 36:1-131. THE INHERITANCE OF THE LEVITESThe order relating to the Levitical cities may be said to describe an ideal settlement. We have, at all events, no evidence that the command was ever fully carried out. It was to the effect that in forty-eight cities, scattered throughout the whole of the tribes in proportion to their population, dwellings were to be allotted to the Levites, who were also to have the suburbs of those cities; that is to say, the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 35:9-34

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:34

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Numbers 35:34

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Numbers 35:34

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:1-34

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Numbers 35:34

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Numbers 35:9-34

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 35:1-34

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Numbers 35:1-34

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:1-34

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