Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 21:13
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver [him] into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
13 . Manslaughter, and the right of asylum. The distinction, not found in Homer, but thus early drawn among the Hebrews, between intentional and unintentional homicide is noteworthy: it is insisted on in all the codes (Deu 19:1-13; Num 35:9-34 P).
lie in wait ] 1Sa 24:11 (RVm.): cf. the derivative, ‘with lying in wait ’ (i.e. with malicious intent), in P’s law of homicide, Num 35:20; Num 35:22 (‘without’). In Dt. and D 2 [187] the idea of ‘unintentional’ is expressed by unawares (lit. without knowledge), Deu 4:42; Deu 19:4, Jos 20:3; Jos 20:5; P says unwittingly (lit. in error), Num 35:11; Num 35:15, Jos 20:3; Jos 20:9.
[187] Deuteronomic passages in Josh., Jud., Kings.
deliver ] in the Heb. a rare word, meaning properly, as Arabic shews, bring opportunely (cf. the derivative opportunity, Jdg 14:4). The meaning of the clause is (as we should express it), if he kills him accidentally. Cf. amm. 249 ‘if God have struck it (a hired ox), and it die,’ 266 ‘a stroke of God’ (killing a sheep), below, p. 423.
a place whither he shall flee ] i.e. an asylum where he may be safe from the avenger of blood. V. 14, which speaks of the fugitive as having taken refuge at an altar, shews that the place meant can only be the sacred place at which the altar stood. In the later legislation of Dt. (Deu 19:1-13) fixed cities are appointed for the purpose and regulations for their use are laid down. The technical term, ‘cities of refuge,’ first occurs in P (Num 35:6; Num 35:11 ff.). In ancient times ‘the right of asylum was possessed by different sanctuaries in various degrees, depending on prescription, the holiness of the place, and other circumstances; it sometimes extended to an entire city, or even to a mark beyond its walls. In the Greek period, and later (under Roman rule), many Hellenistic cities in Syria enjoyed the privileges of asylums, the title appearing on their coins’ (Moore, in EB. Asylum). Cf. Rel. Sem. 148. Moslems, adhering to the tradition of heathen times, treat tombs, esp. those of ancestors, notabilities, and saints, as asylums.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
There was no place of safety for the guilty murderer, not even the altar of Yahweh. Thus all superstitious notions connected with the right of sanctuary were excluded. Adonijah and Joab 1Ki 1:50; 1Ki 2:28 appear to have vainly trusted that the common feeling would protect them, if they took hold of the horns of the altar on which atonement with blood was made Lev 4:7. But for one who killed a man at unawares, that is, without intending to do it, the law afterward appointed places of refuge, Num. 35:6-34; Deu 4:41-43; Deu 19:2-10; Jos 20:2-9. It is very probable that there was some provision answering to the cities of refuge, that may have been based upon old usage, in the camp in the Wilderness.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.] From the earliest times the nearest akin had a right to revenge the murder of his relation, and as this right was universally acknowledged, no law was ever made on the subject; but as this might be abused, and a person who had killed another accidentally, having had no previous malice against him, might be put to death by the avenger of blood, as the nearest kinsman was termed, therefore God provided the cities of refuge to which the accidental manslayer might flee till the affair was inquired into, and settled by the civil magistrate.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If it appear that the manslayer did not intend nor desire it, but only it fell out by his heedlessness, or by some casualty, or by some unexpected providence; or, God, and not man, God without the mans contrivance or design; for otherwise, in a general sense and way, God delivered Christ into the hands of Judas and the Jews, who did advisedly and maliciously kill him.
A place whither he shall flee, i.e. a city or place of refuge, Num 35:11; Deu 19:5.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And if a man lie not in wait,…. For the life of another to take it away; or does not do it willingly, as the Septuagint version, does not seek after it, nor design it:
but God delivers him into his hand; it being suffered and ordered by the providence of God, without whose knowledge and will nothing comes to pass, even what may seem to be a contingent thing, or matter of chance, to us; or it is so brought about in providence, that one man falls into the hands of another, and his life is taken away by him, though not purposely and maliciously; because, as Aben Ezra expresses it, for another sin which he has committed, and for which he must die in this way, though not intended by the person the more immediate cause of his death:
then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee; and there be safe both from the avenger of blood, and the civil magistrate; which place, while Israel were in the wilderness, was the camp of the Levites, according to Jarchi, or the altar, as follows; but when they were come to Canaan’s land, there were cities of refuge appointed for such persons, that killed a man unawares, to flee to, and where they were safe from private vengeance, and falling a sacrifice to public justice.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) If a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand.If, that is, without malice aforethought, a man happen upon his enemy, Gods providence bringing the two into contact without mans contrivance, and the result is that one slay the other, then the law of the refuge or asylum shall come in. A place is to be provided whither the man-slayer may flee, and where he may be safe, at any rate until the cause is inquired into. Hitherto, throughout the East, it had been regarded as the duty of the next of kin to avenge homicide of whatever kind, and blood had been exacted for blood, however sudden, however provoked, however excusable had been the homicide. No right of asylum, so far as we know, had ever been established before. The Sinaitic legislation for the first time interposed the city of refuge, between the avenger of blood and his victim. It was for the elders of the city to see that the privilege was not abused. Where the case was doubtful, the man-slayer had to be remitted for trial to the elders of his own town (Num. 35:22-25); where the elders considered his claim made out, he was entitled to protection.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Lie not in wait That is, intending to take life, and planning, like a hunter, to insure the death of his victim .
But God deliver him into his hand As when one is slain by the accidental blow not intended for him, as in the case supposed in Deu 19:5. Such unintentional homicide could not justly be treated as the crime of murder .
A place whither he shall flee Such “cities of refuge” were afterward appointed . See Num 35:9-15, and parallels .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 21:13. But God deliver him into his hand As God is the Lord of life and death, whose providence is over all his works, the Scripture teaches us to ascribe to him all such events, as, in common phrase, are called accidental. See Deu 19:5. Of the cities of refuge we shall have occasion to speak hereafter. Before they were appointed, the altar served for a place of refuge, as the next verse shews.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 21:13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver [him] into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
Ver. 13. But God deliver him. ] Who is the Lord of our lives, and to whom we have frequently forfeited them; so that it is his mercy that we are not consumed; Lam 3:22 that we are not cut off from the land of the living.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God Hebrew. Elohim. deliver. Hebrew idiom, b which God is said to do what He allows to be done. deliver. Hebrew permit him to meet, or come.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
lie not: Num 35:11, Num 35:22, Deu 19:4-6, Deu 19:11, Mic 7:2
God: 1Sa 24:4, 1Sa 24:10, 1Sa 24:18, 2Sa 16:10, Isa 10:7
I will appoint: Num 35:11, Deu 4:41-43, Deu 19:1-3, Deu 19:9, Jos 20:2-9
Reciprocal: Deu 19:2 – separate three cities Jdg 4:7 – deliver 2Sa 14:14 – he devise Dan 3:14 – true
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
21:13 And if a man lie not in wait, but {l} God deliver [him] into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
(l) Though a man be killed unawares, yet it is God’s providence that it should so be.