Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

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 35:22

But if he thrust him suddenly, without enmity ,.... Push him from a precipice, before he is aware, without any malicious design against his life, but merely through accident: or have cast upon him anything ; from the top of a house, or from a building he is pulling down, or pushes a bowing wall upon him, not knowing that he is passing by it: and without lying of wait : or having contrived to do it, just as he goes along, or in any other similar way. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:23

Or with any stone wherewith a man may die ,.... Which is sufficient to kill a man, if thrown at him: seeing him not ; and so without intention: the Jews F19 Misn. Maccot, c. 2. sect. 3. from hence gather, that a blind man is to be acquitted and dismissed, and not banished and so stands in no need of a city of refuge; though others say he is to be banished, and needs it, and ought to have the privilege of it: and cast it upon him that he die ; casting, it upon another account,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:24

Then the congregation ,.... That is, the court of judicature, assembled together to hear and try this cause: shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood ; shall hear what both have to say, and pass sentence: according to these judgments ; these judicial laws and rules of judgment before delivered, exemplified in various cases. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:25

And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood ,.... Put him under the care of proper persons, to conduct him to one of the cities of refuge, or put him in the way to it; and restrain the avenger of blood from pursuing him, until such time that it may be judged he is safe arrived there: and the congregation shall restore him to the city of refuge, whither he was fled ; so that it seems by this, when one had been guilty of manslaughter, and fled to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:26

But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge ,.... Which seems to be the three thousand cubits assigned to every city of the Levites, and so to the cities of refuge; and which, according to the Jewish writers, were a refuge, as the city itself; and it is said F24 Maimon. Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 8. sect. 11. Misn. Maccot, c. 2. sect. 7. ,"he, that kills a man there, is killed for him, but though the border is a refuge, the slayer does not dwell in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:27

And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge ,.... Without the suburbs, fields, and vineyards belonging to it: and the revenger of blood kill the slayer ; being exasperated against him, and to avenge the blood of his relation on him: he shall not be guilty of blood ; or be reckoned murderer, or die for it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:28

Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest ,.... Nothing could give him his liberty but his death; so that though this was a merciful provision made in such cases for such persons, and was a considerable benefit and privilege, yet it carried in it some appearance of a punishment; since such a person was confined within the boundaries of one of the cities of refuge as long as the high priest lived; and this was done to make persons cautious... read more

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 35:30

Whoso killeth any person ,.... Willingly, and through enmity and malice: the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of two witnesses ; which is repeated partly to show, that this law concerning the cities of refuge was not designed to screen a murderer, who was guilty through malice prepense; and partly for the sake of what is added to it, that two witnesses are required in such a case, where a man's life is at stake, to prove the fact against him; which shows how careful the Lord... read more

Grupo de marcas