Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 19:3
Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
3. prepare thee the way ] Usually taken as making the road open and firm. But (though Steuern.’s objection to this meaning, that such preparation would give equal advantage to the pursuer with the pursued, is hypercritical) this has no relevance to the rest of the v., as the older translators already saw and gave it another sense: LXX , ‘reckon,’ or ‘guess,’ O.L. aestimare. Steuern. renders measure the distance. Better fix, or make sure of, the direction (in which the cities lie), and divide the area of thy land into three.
every manslayer ] The general term, Deu 4:42.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way] The Jews inform us that the roads to the cities of refuge were made very broad, thirty-two cubits; and even, so that there should be no impediments in the way; and were constantly kept in good repair.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou shalt prepare thee a way; distinguish it by evident marks, and make it plain and convenient, to prevent mistakes and delays.
Into three parts; not into more, because it was fit that these places should, as far as it was possible, be at some considerable distance from the friends of the slain person, lest the sight of the manslayer might have provoked their passion, and occasioned his ruin.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. Thou shalt prepare thee a wayTheroads leading to them were to be kept in good condition and thebrooks or rivers to be spanned by good bridges; the width of theroads was to be thirty-two cubits; and at all the crossroadssignposts were to be erected with the words, Mekeleth, Mekeleth,“refuge, refuge,” painted on them.
divide the coasts of thy land. . . into three partsthe whole extent of the country from thesouth to the north. The three cities on each side of Jordan wereopposite to each other, “as two rows of vines in a vineyard”(see on Jos 20:7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thou shalt prepare thee a way,…. A road, an highway to those cities: on the first of Adar, or February, the magistrates used to meet, and proclaimed, or ordered to be proclaimed, that the ways be repaired r, particularly those leading to the cities of refuge; which was done by making them smooth and plain, so that there was not an hill or dale to be seen; and by building bridges over rivers and brooks, that he might escape who had killed anyone through mistake, and not be hindered, lest the avenger of blood should overtake him and kill him s; and therefore every obstruction was removed out of the way, that there might be a clear course for him; and at the parting of ways, or where two or more ways met, that he might not be at a loss one moment which way to take, “refuge” was written, as Jarchi and other writers observe, upon posts or pillars erected for that purpose: [See comments on Nu 35:6],
and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, in three parts; in each of which was to be a city of refuge, and those at an equal distance: so Jarchi observes, that this was done that there might be from the beginning of the border (of the land) unto the first city of the cities of refuge, according to the measure of a journey, that there is from that to the second, and so from the second to the third, and so from the third to the other border of the land of Israel: of the situation of these cities, so as to answer to those on the other side Jordan, [See comments on Nu 35:14],
that every slayer may flee thither; to that which is nearest and most convenient for him, that is, who had slain a man unawares, as follows.
r Misn. Shekalim, c. 1. sect. 1. s Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way The sentence might read, prepare the road. This was understood to be a direction to have the roads leading to the cities of refuge kept in order. The hills were to be levelled; the streams were to be bridged; the road was to be thirty-two cubits broad.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way, &c. The Jewish rulers added a number of other laws for keeping those roads in continual repair, that the person might meet with no obstruction in his flight. These roads, according to them, were to be thirty-two cubits in breadth, smooth and plain. At every place where the road parted, a post was to be set up to direct him, which had the word miklat, REFUGE, engraven upon it. Every brook or river was to have a good bridge; all watery places were to be drained, and the surface kept smooth and hard. Once a year, at least, in the month of Adar, which answers in part to our February, the magistrates of every city were obliged to visit them, and see that they were kept in good order; otherwise, in case the avenger chanced to overtake and kill the slayer, the magistracy of the place were adjudged guilty of his death. As for the cities of refuge, they were to be of a moderate size, well furnished with water, provisions, and artists. For more respecting the cities of refuge, we refer the reader to the notes on Num 35:12-24.
REFLECTIONS.(1.) These cities are representative of Christ: the sinner fleeth to him, and is safe. (2.) Ministers are the directories, to teach the way, and assist such as desire to flee from the wrath to come. (3.) The way is plain, and the city near, for every awakened soul which truly flies for refuge. If any sinner perishes, his blood is on his own head, because he neglects so great a salvation.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
It is said that the Jewish magistrates were very particular respecting the observance of this law, and that once in a year a day was set apart to examine whether the ways which led to the cities of refuge were in good repair, and free from all obstructions; and that the poor fugitive which was fleeing from the avenger, might not be at a loss to know the path, a post of direction was placed at the corner of the road leading to those cities, with the word Miklat, that is refuge, engraven in great letters upon it. Whether this be literally true I presume not to say; but one thing I know, ministers of the gospel ought to be very diligent to see, not only one day in a year, but every day and all the day, that no stumbling block be placed in the way of a poor sinner, who is fleeing to JESUS for his life. Oh, thou dear Redeemer! how gracious is it that our coasts are so divided in our land, that every way there is an opening to thee in thy blood and righteousness! Blessed be the LORD! his word is nigh unto us, and his invitation forever sounding in our ears. Oh!, for grace to flee unto thee, thou LAMB of GOD which takest away the sin of thy people. Rom 10:8 ; Joh 1:29 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 19:3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
Ver. 3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way. ] A direct, plain, fair highway: such a way must ministers prepare and pave for their people to Christ, the true asylum, by giving them “the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins.” Luk 1:76-77
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
coasts = borders, or confines.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 35:8, Isa 57:14, Isa 62:10, Heb 12:13
Reciprocal: Phi 3:9 – be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 19:3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way Make a plain road to them, keep it in good repair, and distinguish it by evident marks, to prevent delays and mistakes, that the manslayer might meet with no difficulty in escaping to the nearest city. And divide the coasts of thy land Thy possessions on the west of Jordan into three equal parts, and in the central part of each open a place of refuge, which being nearly at an equal distance with respect to the inhabitants of that district, all might have the same benefit by it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
19:3 Thou shalt {a} prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every {b} slayer may flee thither.
(a) Make an open and ready way.
(b) Who killed against his will, and bore no hatred in his heart.