Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 35:11
Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
11. ye shall appoint ] Perhaps better ye shall select. The verb in this sense is not found elsewhere in the O.T.
cities of refuge ] Perhaps cities of reception, a term which occurs only in this chapter, and in Joshua 20, 21. (P ), 1Ch 6:57 ; 1Ch 6:67. The word is used in Rabbinic Heb. of the collection or reception of rainwater.
unwittingly ] lit. ‘in error.’ See Num 15:24 ff.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 11. Ye shall appoint – cities of refuge] The cities of refuge among the Israelites were widely different from the asyla among the Greeks and Romans, as also from the privileged altars among the Roman Catholics. Those among the Hebrews were for the protection of such only as had slain a person involuntarily. The temples and altars among the latter often served for the protection of the most profligate characters. Cities of refuge among the Hebrews were necessary, because the old patriarchal law still remained in force, viz., that the nearest akin had a right to avenge the death of his relation by slaying the murderer; for the original law enacted that whosoever shed man’s blood, by man should his blood be shed, Ge 9:6, and none was judged so proper to execute this law as the man who was nearest akin to the deceased. As many rash executions of this law might take place, from the very nature of the thing, it was deemed necessary to qualify its claims, and prevent injustice; and the cities of refuge were judged proper for this purpose. Nor do we ever read that they were ever found inefficient, or that they were ever abused.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. Not wilfully, designedly, or maliciously, but inconsiderately, through mistake, or indiscretion, or carelessness. See Lev 4:2.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. that the slayer may fleethither, which killeth any person at unawaresThe practice ofGoelism, that is, of the nearest relation of an individual who waskilled being bound to demand satisfaction from the author of hisdeath, existed from a very remote antiquity (Gen 4:14;Gen 27:45). It seems to have beenan established usage in the age of Moses; and although in a rude andimperfect state of society, it is a natural and intelligibleprinciple of criminal jurisprudence, it is liable to many greatabuses; the chief of the evils inseparable from it is that thekinsman, who is bound in duty and honor to execute justice, willoften be precipitatelittle disposed, in the heat of passion orunder the impulse of revenge, to examine into the circumstances ofthe case, to discriminate between the premeditated purpose of theassassin and the misfortune of the unintentional homicide. Moreover,it had a tendency, not only to foster a vindictive spirit, but incase of the Goel being unsuccessful in finding his victim, totransmit animosities and feuds against his descendants from onegeneration to another. This is exemplified among the Arabs in thepresent day. Should an Arab of one tribe happen to kill one ofanother tribe, there is “blood” between the tribes, and thestain can only be wiped out by the death of some individual of thetribe with which the offense originated. Sometimes the penalty iscommuted by the payment of a stipulated number of sheep or camels.But such an equivalent, though offered, is as often refused, andblood has to be repaid only by blood. This practice of Goelismobtained among the Hebrews to such an extent that it was not perhapsexpedient to abolish it; and Moses, while sanctioning itscontinuance, was directed, by divine authority, to make some specialregulations, which tended both to prevent the unhappy consequences ofsudden and personal vengeance, and, at the same time, to afford anaccused person time and means of proving his innocence. This was thehumane and equitable end contemplated in the institution of cities ofrefuge. There were to be six of these legalized asyla, three on theeast of Jordan, both because the territory there was equal in length,though not in breadth, to Canaan, and because it might be moreconvenient for some to take refuge across the border. They wereappointed for the benefit, not of the native Israelites only, but ofall resident strangers.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then ye shall appoint your cities to be cities of refuge for you,…. And, according to the Jewish writers i, these were neither to be made large nor little, but middling; and they appointed them where there were markets and fairs, at which goods were to be sold; and where there was plenty of water, and a multitude of people; and where there were but few, they fetched others from other places; and they neither made nets for hunting, nor twisted ropes in them, nor sold any warlike instruments, lest the avenger of blood should use himself to come thither, under pretence of buying such things, and kill the manslayer:
that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares; or through error k, or mistake, not on purpose, with design, or through malice and enmity, as is afterwards more largely explained.
i Maimon. Rotzeach, c. 8. sect. 8. Vid. T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 10. 1. k “per errorem”, Pagninus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “per imprudentiam”, Tigurine version: Vatablus; “in ignorantia”, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11. Killeth unawares Joshua (Num 20:3) adds, “and unwittingly.” See note.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
person = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
at unawares = by misadventure.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
ye shall appoint: As the goel, or kinsman, had a right to avenge the death of his relation, by slaying the murderer wherever he found him, the appointment of these cities was a humane institution for the protection of the involuntary homicide; for they were designed only for the protection of such Num 35:6, Jos 20:2
unawares: Heb. by error, Num 35:22, Num 35:23, Exo 21:13, Deu 4:42, Deu 19:4, Deu 19:5
Reciprocal: Deu 17:8 – between blood 2Ki 7:7 – and fled for their life Heb 6:18 – who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 35:11. Unawares Or ignorantly, as it is, Deu 19:4, and Jos 20:3; that is, besides his intention, having no such design, and no hatred to him, Num 35:22.