John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:16
And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die ,.... As with an hatchet, hammer, sword, knife, &c.; he is a murderer ; the instrument used by him, and with which he smote, shows that he had a bad design, and intended to kill, or he would never have smitten a man with such an instrument: the murderer shall surely be put to death ; be condemned to death, and be executed, by the order of the civil magistrate, according to the law in Genesis 9:6 and not be allowed... 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