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Selected Verse: Numbers 35:16 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Nu 35:16 |
Strong Concordance |
And if he smite [05221] him with an instrument [03627] of iron [01270], so that he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191]. |
| |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| 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. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
The sense is: Inasmuch as to take another man's life by any means whatsoever is murder, and exposes the murderer to the penalty of retaliation; so, if the deed is done in hostility, it is in truth actual murder, and the murderer shall be slain; but if it be not done in hostility, then the congregation shall interpose to stop the avenger's hand.
Num 35:19
When he meeteth him - Provided, of course, it were without a city of refuge.
Num 35:24
The case of the innocent slayer is here contemplated. In a doubtful case there would necessarily have to be a judicial decision as to the guilt or innocence of the person who claimed the right of asylum.
Num 35:25
The homicide was safe only within the walls of his city of refuge. He became a virtual exile from his home. The provisions here made serve to mark the gravity of the act of manslaughter, even when not premeditated; and the inconveniences attending on them fell, as is right and fair, upon him who committed the deed.
Unto the death of the high priest - The atoning death of the Saviour cast its shadow before on the statute-book of the Law and on the annals of Jewish history. The high priest, as the head and representative of the whole chosen family of sacerdotal mediators, as exclusively entrusted with some of the chief priestly functions, as alone privileged to make yearly atonement within the holy of holies, and to gain, from the mysterious Urim and Thummim, special revelations of the will of God, was, preeminently, a type of Christ. And thus the death of each successive high priest presignified that death of Christ by which the captives were to be freed, and the remembrance of transgressions made to cease. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
| Special instructions are given in Num 35:16-28, with reference to the judicial procedure. First of all (Num 35:16-21), with regard to qualified slaying or murder. If any person has struck another with an iron instrument (an axe, hatchet, hammer, etc.), or "with a stone of the hand, from which one dies," i.e., with a stone which filled the hand, - a large stone, therefore, with which it was possible to kill, - or "with a wooden instrument of the hand, from which one dies," i.e., with a thick club, or a large, strong wooden instrument, and he then died (so that he died in consequence), he was a murderer, who was to be put to death. "For the suspicion would rest upon any one who had used an instrument, that endangered life and therefore was not generally used in striking, that he had intended to take life away" (Knobel). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| If he smite him - Wittingly and wilfully, though not with premeditated malice. He shall be put to death - Yea though he were fled into the city of refuge. |
25 And the congregation [05712] shall deliver [05337] the slayer [07523] out of the hand [03027] of the revenger [01350] of blood [01818], and the congregation [05712] shall restore [07725] him to the city [05892] of his refuge [04733], whither he was fled [05127]: and he shall abide [03427] in it unto the death [04194] of the high [01419] priest [03548], which was anointed [04886] with the holy [06944] oil [08081].
24 Then the congregation [05712] shall judge [08199] between the slayer [05221] and the revenger [01350] of blood [01818] according to these judgments [04941]:
19 The revenger [01350] of blood [01818] himself shall slay [04191] the murderer [07523]: when he meeteth [06293] him, he [01931] shall slay [04191] him.
16 And if he smite [05221] him with an instrument [03627] of iron [01270], so that he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
17 And if he smite [05221] him with throwing [03027] a stone [068], wherewith he may die [04191], and he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
18 Or if he smite [05221] him with an hand [03027] weapon [03627] of wood [06086], wherewith he may die [04191], and he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
19 The revenger [01350] of blood [01818] himself shall slay [04191] the murderer [07523]: when he meeteth [06293] him, he [01931] shall slay [04191] him.
20 But if he thrust [01920] him of hatred [08135], or hurl [07993] at him by laying of wait [06660], that he die [04191];
21 Or in enmity [0342] smite [05221] him with his hand [03027], that he die [04191]: he that smote [05221] him shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191]; for he is a murderer [07523]: the revenger [01350] of blood [01818] shall slay [04191] the murderer [07523], when he meeteth [06293] him.
16 And if he smite [05221] him with an instrument [03627] of iron [01270], so that he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
17 And if he smite [05221] him with throwing [03027] a stone [068], wherewith he may die [04191], and he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
18 Or if he smite [05221] him with an hand [03027] weapon [03627] of wood [06086], wherewith he may die [04191], and he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
19 The revenger [01350] of blood [01818] himself shall slay [04191] the murderer [07523]: when he meeteth [06293] him, he [01931] shall slay [04191] him.
20 But if he thrust [01920] him of hatred [08135], or hurl [07993] at him by laying of wait [06660], that he die [04191];
21 Or in enmity [0342] smite [05221] him with his hand [03027], that he die [04191]: he that smote [05221] him shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191]; for he is a murderer [07523]: the revenger [01350] of blood [01818] shall slay [04191] the murderer [07523], when he meeteth [06293] him.
22 But if he thrust [01920] him suddenly [06621] without [03808] enmity [0342], or have cast [07993] upon him any thing [03627] without laying of wait [06660],
23 Or with any stone [068], wherewith a man may die [04191], seeing [07200] him not [03808], and cast [05307] it upon him, that he die [04191], and was not his enemy [0341], neither sought [01245] his harm [07451]:
24 Then the congregation [05712] shall judge [08199] between the slayer [05221] and the revenger [01350] of blood [01818] according to these judgments [04941]:
25 And the congregation [05712] shall deliver [05337] the slayer [07523] out of the hand [03027] of the revenger [01350] of blood [01818], and the congregation [05712] shall restore [07725] him to the city [05892] of his refuge [04733], whither he was fled [05127]: and he shall abide [03427] in it unto the death [04194] of the high [01419] priest [03548], which was anointed [04886] with the holy [06944] oil [08081].
26 But if the slayer [07523] shall at any time [03318] come [03318] without the border [01366] of the city [05892] of his refuge [04733], whither he was fled [05127];
27 And the revenger [01350] of blood [01818] find [04672] him without [02351] the borders [01366] of the city [05892] of his refuge [04733], and the revenger [01350] of blood [01818] kill [07523] the slayer [07523]; he shall not be guilty of blood [01818]:
28 Because he should have remained [03427] in the city [05892] of his refuge [04733] until the death [04194] of the high [01419] priest [03548]: but after [0310] the death [04194] of the high [01419] priest [03548] the slayer [07523] shall return [07725] into the land [0776] of his possession [0272].