Deuteronomy 19:6

_LEST THE AVENGER OF THE BLOOD PURSUE THE SLAYER, WHILE HIS HEART IS HOT, AND OVERTAKE HIM, BECAUSE THE WAY IS LONG, AND SLAY HIM; WHEREAS HE WAS NOT WORTHY OF DEATH, INASMUCH AS HE HATED HIM NOT IN TIME PAST._ LEST THE AVENGER OF THE BLOOD PURSUE THE SLAYER, WHILE HIS HEART IS HOT. This verse is a continuation of the third (for Deuteronomy 19:4, which are explanatory, are in a parenthetical form), and the meaning is, that if the kinsman of a person inadvertently killed, should, under the impulse of sudden excitement, and without inquiring into the circumstances, inflict summary vengeance on the homicide, however guiltless, the law tolerated such an act: it was to pass with impunity. But to prevent such precipitate measures, the cities of refuge were established for the reception of the homicide, that "innocent blood might not be shed in thy land" ...

1-13 Here is the law settled between the blood of the murdered, and the blood of the murderer; provision is made, that the cities of refuge should be a protection, so that a man should not die for that as a crime, which was not his willing act. In Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, refuge is provided for those who by faith flee unto him. But there is no refuge in Jesus Christ for presumptuous sinners, who go on still in their trespasses. Those who flee to Christ from their sins, shall be safe in him, but not those who expect to be sheltered by him in their sins....

This and the next two chapters contain enactments designed to protect human life, and to impress its sanctity on Israel. In Deuteronomy 19:1 the directions respecting the preparation of the roads to the cities of refuge, the provision of additional cities in case of an extension of territory, and the intervention of the elders as representing the congregation, are unique to Deuteronomy and supplementary to the laws on the same subject given in the earlier books (compare the marginal reference). Deuteronomy 19:1, Deuteronomy 19:2 The three cities of refuge for the district east of Jordan had be

EXPOSITION LAWS CONCERNING CITIES OF REFUGE. LANDMARKS NOT TO BE REMOVED. LAWS CONCERNING WITNESSES. DEUTERONOMY 19:1 Moses had before this enunciated the law concerning cities of refuge for manslayers, and had already pointed out the cities on the east of the Jordan that were to be set apart for this (Numbers 35:11, etc.; Deuteronomy 4:41, etc.), he here repeats the law with special reference to the appointment of such cities "in the midst of the

LEST THE AVENGER OF BLOOD PURSUE THE SLAYER,.... These words are to be connected with Deuteronomy 19:3, where it is ordered to prepare the way to the cities of refuge, and to divide the land into three parts, for the convenience of the slayer to flee thither, lest he that was next of kin, and incensed against the slayer, and determined to avenge what was done, should pursue after him: WHILE HIS HEART IS HOT; by reason of the loss of his relation, upon which his passions being raised, his heart becomes inflamed with wrath and anger; which pushes him upon an eager and hasty pursuit of the slayer, before he sits down and coolly considers and deliberates on the affair: AND OVERTAKE HIM, BECAUSE THE WAY IS LONG, AND SLAY HIM; wherefore it was proper that everything should be done to make the way to these cities as easy and as short as it could be:...

AVENGER Hebrew, "goel," Redemption (Kinsman type). (_ See Scofield) - (Isaiah 59:20). _...

The cities of refuge (lit. of reception, Numbers 35:12 P) were in criminal law the substitute for the local, now disestablished, sanctuaries, each sanctuary in ancient times affording temporary protection for criminals whose guilt was not obvious (Numbers 35*, Joshua 20*). British churches have served the same purpose, (_cf._ the Sanctuary Knocker of Durham Cathedral and Frithstool of Beverley Minster and of Hexham Abbey). Blood revenge was the police of the primitive Aryan and Semitic peoples, and it needed such restraint as the law of asylum supplied. For the earlier law, see Exodus 21:12 * (JE), and for the later, Numbers 35 and Joshua 20:1 (both P). The need for this law arose through the operation of the principle of o

AVENGER. kinsman avenger. SLAY HIM. slay his soul. Hebrew. _nephesh_ (App-13), i.e. take his life....

_avenger of blood_ Heb. _go-el haddâm_(2 Samuel 14:11; Numbers 35:19-27; Joshua 20:3; Joshua 20:5; Joshua 20:9). The consuetudinary law of the vendetta is not abrogated, but persists so far as the nearest, or other, kinsman of the slain still takes the duty of punishing the slayer. See _v._ 22 and Add. note. _while his heart is hot_ and he cannot discriminate between accidental and wilful murder. It was doubtless to avoid the same unjust passion that the right of sanctuary arose among the nomad Arabs. because the way is long

LESSON FIFTEEN DEUTERONOMY 19:1-21; DEUTERONOMY 21:1-9 f. THE SANCTITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY (Deuteronomy 19:1-21; Deuteronomy 21:1-9) (1) CONCERNING MURDER (Deuteronomy 19:1-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9) (a) The Cities of Refuge (Deuteronomy 19:1-13) When Jehovah thy God sh