Numbers 35:28

_BUT IF HE THRUST HIM SUDDENLY WITHOUT ENMITY, OR HAVE CAST UPON HIM ANY THING WITHOUT LAYING OF WAIT,_ But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity ... 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 contact in society might have provoked the vindictive passions of deceased's relatives. But the period of his release from this confinement was not until the death of t...

28._Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge_. The period of banishment is prescribed, “until the death of the high-priest,” because it would have been anything but humane that all hopes of restoration should have been cut off from the unhappy exile; and, when a new priest succeeded to reconcile the people to God, this renewal of grace was to propitiate all offenses. Wherefore it was not unreasonable that God should entirely restore those who were only punished for inadvertency....

9-34 To show plainly the abhorrence of murder, and to provide the more effectually for the punishment of the murderer, the nearest relation of the deceased, under the title of avenger of blood, (or the redeemer of blood,) in notorious cases, might pursue, and execute vengeance. A distinction is made, not between sudden anger and malice aforethought, both which are the crime of murder; but between intentionally striking a man with any weapon likely to cause death, and an unintentional blow. In the latter case alone, the city of refuge afforded protection. Murder in all its forms, and under all disguises, pollutes a land. Alas! that so many murders, under the name of duels, prize-fights, c. should pass unpunished. There were six cities of refuge one or other might be reached in less than a day's journey from any part of the land. To these, man-slayers might flee for refuge, and be safe, t...

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 how they were any way accessory to the death of another, though without design: BUT AFTER THE DEATH OF THE HIGH PRIEST THE SLAYER SHALL RETURN INTO THE LAND OF HIS POSSESSION; to that part of the land, and to that tribe to which he belonged, to his house and family, and to his possessions and inheritances, whatever he had, and to all the honours and privileges he before enjoyed, and under no danger from...

11. THE CITIES OF REFUGE CHAPTER 35 _ 1. The provision of the Levites: Forty-eight cities (Numbers 35:1)_ 2. The cities of refuge (Numbers 35:9) The cities of the Levites were scattered through the land. Genesis 49:7 is therefore fulfilled. The provision of cities for refuge is full of interest. The careful study of the purpose of these cities is recommended. Note especially that they were provided to give shelter for those who had killed a person unawares. The avenger of blood (Hebrew: _goel, which means to redeem) pursued the person and the city of refuge gave shelter. The death of the high priest resulted in liberty for all who were in the cities of refuge. It was the signal that they could

CONDITIONS LIMITING THE PRIVILEGE OF SANCTUARY. Anciently the holiness of a sanctuary extended to all who came in contact with it, so that the right of asylum was liable to be abused; but by this law protection at a city of refuge was to be refused to those homicides who in the judgment of the community, on the evidence of two witnesses, were guilty of murder, as inferred from (_a)_ the existence of previous enmity or evidence of premeditation, (_b)_ the use of a murderous weapon. Those who were guilty of manslaughter only (see Deuteronomy 19:4 f.) were safe within the city during the lifetime of the high priest: after his death they ceased to be liable to vengeance. Though the law promoted justice by discriminating between the intentional and the unintentional homicide, it still left the punishment of the former to private revenge instead of committing it to the community.

_The -Cities of Refuge,"_and the _Law relating to homicide_ In Numbers 35:9 the appointment of the six cities and their purpose are prescribed; Numbers 35:16 contain specimen cases distinguishing deliberate murder from accidental homicide; Numbers 35:24 provide the legal procedure; Numbers 35:29 form a conclusion. The section presents the latest development in the O.T. of the Law of Asylum. In early days (Exodus 21:13 f. E) an appointed place was provided, to which the manslayer might flee, i.e. an altar, which would be within easy reach

DISCOURSE: 184 THE CITIES OF REFUGE Numbers 35:24. _The congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood, according to these judgment: and the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high-priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; and the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer, he shall not be guilty of blood; because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high-priest: but after the death of the high-priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession._

F. LAWS OF HOMICIDE vv. 16-34 TEXT Numbers 35:16. And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17. And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18. Or if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. 20. But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, then he die; 21. Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. 22. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hav

THE LEVITICAL CITIES. THE CITIES OF REFUGIE 1-8. The Levitical Cities. The tribe of Levi received no part of the land of Canaan as their inheritance (Numbers 18:20; 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 21, where it is also noted that the priests (the sons of Aaron) received 13 of these cities ...