25 And the congregation H5712 shall deliver H5337 the slayer H7523 out of the hand H3027 of the revenger H1350 of blood, H1818 and the congregation H5712 shall restore H7725 him to the city H5892 of his refuge, H4733 whither he was fled: H5127 and he shall abide H3427 in it unto the death H4194 of the high H1419 priest, H3548 which was anointed H4886 with the holy H6944 oil. H8081
Being justified G1344 freely G1432 by his G846 grace G5485 through G1223 the redemption G629 that is in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus: G2424 Whom G3739 God G2316 hath set forth G4388 to be a propitiation G2435 through G1223 faith G4102 in G1722 his G846 blood, G129 to G1519 declare G1732 his G846 righteousness G1343 for G1223 the remission G3929 of sins G265 that are past, G4266 through G1722 the forbearance G463 of God; G2316 To G4314 declare, G1732 I say, at G1722 this G3568 time G2540 his G846 righteousness: G1343 that G1519 he might be G1511 just, G1342 and G2532 the justifier G1344 of him G846 which believeth G4102 in G1537 Jesus. G2424
And G2532 that he might reconcile G604 both G297 unto God G2316 in G1722 one G1520 body G4983 by G1223 the cross, G4716 having slain G615 the enmity G2189 thereby: G1722 G846 And G2532 came G2064 and preached G2097 peace G1515 to you G5213 which G3588 were afar off, G3112 and G2532 to them that were nigh. G1451 For G3754 through G1223 him G846 we G2192 both G297 have G2192 access G4318 by G1722 one G1520 Spirit G4151 unto G4314 the Father. G3962
Seeing G2192 then G3767 that we have G2192 a great G3173 high priest, G749 that is passed into G1330 the heavens, G3772 Jesus G2424 the Son G5207 of God, G2316 let us hold fast G2902 our profession. G3671 For G1063 we have G2192 not G3756 an high priest G749 which cannot G3361 G1410 be touched with the feeling G4834 of our G2257 infirmities; G769 but G1161 was G3985 in G2596 all points G3956 tempted G3985 G3987 like G2596 as G3665 we are, yet without G5565 sin. G266 Let us G4334 therefore G3767 come G4334 boldly G3326 G3954 unto the throne G2362 of grace, G5485 that G2443 we may obtain G2983 mercy, G1656 and G2532 find G2147 grace G5485 to help G996 in G1519 time of need. G2121
Wherefore G3606 he is able G1410 also G2532 to save them G4982 to G1519 the uttermost G3838 that come G4334 unto God G2316 by G1223 him, G846 seeing he ever G3842 liveth G2198 to G1519 make intercession G1793 for G5228 them. G846 For G1063 such G5108 an high priest G749 became G4241 us, G2254 who is holy, G3741 harmless, G172 undefiled, G283 separate G5563 from G575 sinners, G268 and G2532 made G1096 higher than G5308 the heavens; G3772 Who G3739 needeth G2192 G318 not G3756 daily, G2596 G2250 as G5618 those high priests, G749 to offer up G399 sacrifice, G2378 first G4386 for G5228 his own G2398 sins, G266 and then G1899 for the people's: G2992 for G1063 this G5124 he did G4160 once, G2178 when he offered up G399 himself. G1438 For G1063 the law G3551 maketh G2525 men G444 high priests G749 which have G2192 infirmity; G769 but G1161 the word G3056 of the oath, G3728 which G3588 was since G3326 the law, G3551 maketh the Son, G5207 who is consecrated G5048 for G1519 evermore. G165
Neither G3761 by G1223 the blood G129 of goats G5131 and G2532 calves, G3448 but G1161 by G1223 his own G2398 blood G129 he entered in G1525 once G2178 into G1519 the holy place, G39 having obtained G2147 eternal G166 redemption G3085 for us. For G1063 if G1487 the blood G129 of bulls G5022 and G2532 of goats, G5131 and G2532 the ashes G4700 of an heifer G1151 sprinkling G4472 the unclean, G2840 sanctifieth G37 to G4314 the purifying G2514 of the flesh: G4561 How much G4214 more G3123 shall G2511 the blood G129 of Christ, G5547 who G3739 through G1223 the eternal G166 Spirit G4151 offered G4374 himself G1438 without spot G299 to God, G2316 purge G2511 your G5216 conscience G4893 from G575 dead G3498 works G2041 to G1519 serve G3000 the living G2198 God? G2316 And G2532 for this G5124 cause G1223 he is G2076 the mediator G3316 of the new G2537 testament, G1242 that G3704 by means G1096 of death, G2288 for G1519 the redemption G629 of the transgressions G3847 that were under G1909 the first G4413 testament, G1242 they which are called G2564 might receive G2983 the promise G1860 of eternal G166 inheritance. G2817
Having G2192 therefore, G3767 brethren, G80 boldness G3954 to G1519 enter G1529 into the holiest G39 by G1722 the blood G129 of Jesus, G2424 By a new G4372 and G2532 living G2198 way, G3598 which G3739 he hath consecrated G1457 for us, G2254 through G1223 the veil, G2665 that is to say, G5123 his G846 flesh; G4561 And G2532 having an high G3173 priest G2409 over G1909 the house G3624 of God; G2316 Let us draw near G4334 with G3326 a true G228 heart G2588 in G1722 full assurance G4136 of faith, G4102 having G4472 our hearts G2588 sprinkled G4472 from G575 an evil G4190 conscience, G4893 and G2532 our bodies G4983 washed G3068 with pure G2513 water. G5204
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 35
Commentary on Numbers 35 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 35
Nu 35:1-5. Eight and Forty Cities Given to the Levites.
2. give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in—As the Levites were to have no territorial domain allocated to them like the other tribes on the conquest of Canaan, they were to be distributed throughout the land in certain cities appropriated to their use; and these cities were to be surrounded by extensive suburbs. There is an apparent discrepancy between Nu 35:4 and Nu 35:5, with regard to the extent of these suburbs; but the statements in the two verses refer to totally different things—the one to the extent of the suburbs from the walls of the city, the other to the space of two thousand cubits from their extremity. In point of fact, there was an extent of ground, amounting to three thousand cubits, measured from the wall of the city. One thousand were most probably occupied with outhouses for the accommodation of shepherds and other servants, with gardens, vineyards, or oliveyards. And these which were portioned out to different families (1Ch 6:60) might be sold by one Levite to another, but not to any individual of another tribe (Jer 32:7). The other two thousand cubits remained a common for the pasturing of cattle (Le 25:34) and, considering their number, that space would be fully required.
Nu 35:6-8. Cities of Refuge.
6. there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer—The establishment of those privileged sanctuaries among the cities of the Levites is probably traceable to the idea, that they would be the most suitable and impartial judges—that their presence and counsels might calm or restrain the stormy passions of the blood avenger—and that, from their being invested with the sacred character, they might be types of Christ, in whom sinners find a refuge from the destroyer (see De 4:43; Jos 20:8).
8. the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel—The burden of furnishing those places for the residence and support of the Levitical order was to fall in equitable proportions upon the different tribes (see Nu 33:54; Jos 20:7).
Nu 35:9-34. The Blood Avenger.
11. that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares—The practice of Goelism, that is, of the nearest relation of an individual who was killed being bound to demand satisfaction from the author of his death, existed from a very remote antiquity (Ge 4:14; 27:45). It seems to have been an established usage in the age of Moses; and although in a rude and imperfect state of society, it is a natural and intelligible principle of criminal jurisprudence, it is liable to many great abuses; the chief of the evils inseparable from it is that the kinsman, who is bound in duty and honor to execute justice, will often be precipitate—little disposed, in the heat of passion or under the impulse of revenge, to examine into the circumstances of the case, to discriminate between the premeditated purpose of the assassin and the misfortune of the unintentional homicide. Moreover, it had a tendency, not only to foster a vindictive spirit, but in case of the Goel being unsuccessful in finding his victim, to transmit animosities and feuds against his descendants from one generation to another. This is exemplified among the Arabs in the present day. Should an Arab of one tribe happen to kill one of another tribe, there is "blood" between the tribes, and the stain can only be wiped out by the death of some individual of the tribe with which the offense originated. Sometimes the penalty is commuted by the payment of a stipulated number of sheep or camels. But such an equivalent, though offered, is as often refused, and blood has to be repaid only by blood. This practice of Goelism obtained among the Hebrews to such an extent that it was not perhaps expedient to abolish it; and Moses, while sanctioning its continuance, was directed, by divine authority, to make some special regulations, which tended both to prevent the unhappy consequences of sudden and personal vengeance, and, at the same time, to afford an accused person time and means of proving his innocence. This was the humane and equitable end contemplated in the institution of cities of refuge. There were to be six of these legalized asyla, three on the east of Jordan, both because the territory there was equal in length, though not in breadth, to Canaan, and because it might be more convenient for some to take refuge across the border. They were appointed for the benefit, not of the native Israelites only, but of all resident strangers.
16-21. If he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, &c.—Various cases are here enumerated in which the Goel or avenger was at liberty to take the life of the murderer; and every one of them proves a premeditated purpose.
22-28. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, &c.—Under the excitement of a sudden provocation, or violent passion, an injury might be inflicted issuing in death; and for a person who had thus undesignedly committed slaughter, the Levitical cities offered the benefit of full protection. Once having reached the nearest, for one or other of them was within a day's journey of all parts of the land, he was secure. But he had to "abide in it." His confinement within its walls was a wise and salutary rule, designed to show the sanctity of human blood in God's sight, as well as to protect the manslayer himself, whose presence and intercourse in society might have provoked the passions of the deceased's relatives. But the period of his release from this confinement was not until the death of the high priest. That was a season of public affliction, when private sorrows were sunk or overlooked under a sense of the national calamity, and when the death of so eminent a servant of God naturally led all to serious consideration about their own mortality. The moment, however, that the refugee broke through the restraints of his confinement and ventured beyond the precincts of the asylum, he forfeited the privilege, and, if he was discovered by his pursuer, he might be slain with impunity.
29-34. these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations—The law of the blood-avenger, as thus established by divine authority, was a vast improvement on the ancient practice of Goelism. By the appointment of cities of refuge, the manslayer was saved, in the meantime, from the blind and impetuous fury of vindictive relatives; but he might be tried by the local court, and, if proved guilty on sufficient evidence, condemned and punished as a murderer, without the possibility of deliverance by any pecuniary satisfaction. The enactment of Moses, which was an adaptation to the character and usages of the Hebrew people, secured the double advantage of promoting the ends both of humanity and of justice.