35:2 Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the a
Levites of the inheritance of their possession b cities
to dwell in; and ye shall give [also] unto the Levites
suburbs for the cities round about them.
(a) Because they had no inheritance assigned them in the
land of Canaan.
(b) God would have them scattered through all the land,
because the people might be preserved by them in the
obedience of God and his Law.
35:5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side
c two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand
cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on
the north side two thousand cubits; and the city [shall be]
in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the
cities.
(c) So that in all were three thousand, and in the compass
of these two thousand, they might plant and sow.
35:12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the d
avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before
the congregation in judgment.
(d) Meaning, from the next of the kindred, who ought to
pursue the cause.
35:14 Ye shall give three cities e on this side Jordan, and
three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, [which]
shall be cities of refuge.
(e) Among the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of
Manasseh, (De 4:41).
35:16 And if he f smite him with an instrument of iron, so
that he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely
be put to death.
(f) Wittingly, and willingly.
35:17 And if he smite him with throwing a g stone, wherewith
he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer
shall surely be put to death.
(g) That is, with a big and dangerous stone: in Hebrew,
with a stone of his hand.
35:24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and
the h revenger of blood according to these judgments:
(h) That is, his next kinsman.
35:25 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 i
high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
(i) Under this figure is declared, that our sins could not
be remitted, but by the death of the high Priest Jesus
Christ.
35:27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of
the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the
k slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:
(k) By the sentence of the judge.
35:29 So these [things] shall be for a l statute of judgment
unto you throughout your generations in all your
dwellings.
(l) A law to judge murders done either on purpose, or
accidentally.
35:31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a
murderer, which [is] m guilty of death: but he shall be
surely put to death.
(m) Who purposely committed murder.
35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye [are]: for
blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be n
cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the
blood of him that shed it.
(n) So God is mindful of the blood wrongfully shed, that
he makes his dumb creatures demand vengeance of it.
