Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 21:14
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
14. But the protection of the altar is not to be extended to the wilful murderer. Cf. Deu 19:11-13; also the more detailed treatment of the case of wilful murder in the law of P (Num 35:16-21).
from mine altar ] See 1Ki 1:50; 1Ki 2:28, which shew that the fugitive would seize hold of the ‘horns’ (see on ch. Exo 27:2) of the altar, in order to avail himself of its protection. The altar served as an asylum also among the Greeks (Thuc. iv. 98).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 14. Thou shalt take him from mine altar] Before the cities of refuge were assigned, the altar of God was the common asylum.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If a man come presumptuously, i.e. do this proudly, boldly, purposely, and maliciously; for so the word signifies.
From mine altar, which not only in the wilderness, but afterward, seems to have been esteemed a place of refuge, 1Ki 1:50, as it also was among the heathens: but God so far abhors murder, that he will rather venture the pollution of his own altar than the escape of the murderer. See 2Ki 11:15.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile,…. That comes with malice in his heart, with wrath in his countenance, in a bold, daring, hostile manner, using all the art, cunning, and contrivance he can, to take away the life of his neighbour; no asylum, no refuge, not anything to screen him from justice is to be allowed him: hence, a messenger of the sanhedrim, or an executioner, one that inflicts the forty stripes, save one, or a physician, or one that chastises his son or scholar, under whose hands persons may die, do not come under this law; for though what they do they may do wilfully, yet not with guile, as Jarchi and others observe, not with an ill design, but for good:
thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die: that being the place which in early times criminals had recourse unto, Joab and others, as well as in later times, to secure them from vengeance; but a man guilty of wilful murder was not to be protected in this way; and the Targum of Jonathan is,
“though he is a priest, (the Jerusalem Targum has it, an high priest,) and ministers at mine altar, thou shalt take him from thence, and slay him with the sword,”
so Jarchi; but the law refers not to a person ministering in his office at the altar of the Lord, but to one that should flee there for safety, which yet he should not have.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor. He expresses the same thing in different ways; for although there is a wide difference between slaying a man presumptuously (32) and with guile, yet Moses applies them both to a willful murder; for by guile he means a wicked disposition to injure, and by the word presumptuous he designates a violent assault, when a man in hate wantonly falls upon another. And surely truculence, and violence, and all cruelty is presumptuous, ( superba;) for unless a man despised his brother, he would not assail him as an enemy.
Lest by overlooking murders they should defile the land, God commands that murderers should be torn away even from His altar, whereby He signifies that they are as unworthy of divine as of human aid. For, although the sanctity of the altar might afford an asylum for the protection of those who had transgressed through imprudence, or. error, yet it would have been wrong that impunity for crimes should have been derived from hence; because the sanctuary would have been thus converted into a den of thieves, and religion would have been subjected to gross profanation. Wherefore, although criminals embracing the altar should implore God’s aid, the Law commands them to be torn away from thence to punishment, because it would have been disgraceful to abuse God’s sacred name as affording license for sin. Hence it appears how great was the folly of old in supposing that churches were honored when they were made asylums for the encouragement of evil deeds. This, indeed, was derived from the ordinary custom of the heathen; but it was a foolish imitation thus to mix up God with idols in a spurious worship; although in this respect the Gentiles served their idols more purely and virtuously than the Christians (33) served God; for they refused the right of asylum to the sacrilegious and impure, so that the temple of the Samothracians was no secure hiding-place even to Perseus, (34) the king of Macedon. Livy records the following words, as having been spoken by a heathen, — “Since, at the commencement of all our sacrifices, those whose hands are not pure are enjoined to retire, will ye suffer your sanctuaries to be contaminated by the blood-stained person of a robber?” Let us, then, be ashamed of polluting our temples under the pretext of reverence for them.
(32) “ Superbire, et insidiari longe differunt.” — Lat. “Ruer sup quelqu’un par fierte et malice, et l ’ aguetter. ” — Fr.
(33) “Ceux qui se glorifioyent du titre de Chrestiente;“ those who prided themselves in the name of Christians. — Fr.
(34) See Livy, lib. 45:5. The words quoted are from an address of a certain L. Atilius to the popular assembly of Samothracia.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) If a man come presumptuously.Rather, if a man come maliciously, or with premeditation. (Vulg., de industria.)
Thou shalt take him from mine altar.Comp. 1Ki. 2:28-34. In most parts of the ancient world a scruple was felt about putting criminals to death when once they had taken sanctuary, and those who did so were regarded as accursed (Herod. v. 71, 72; Thucyd. i. 126; Plut. Vit. Sol., 12). The Mosaic Law regarded this scruple as a superstition, and refused to sanction it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Take him from mine altar The cases of Adonijah and Joab, as read in 1Ki 1:50; 1Ki 2:28, are illustrations of the prevalent notion that the altar was a place of security from violence . This law aims to take away from the presumptuous murderer all hope of protection from the holy place .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 21:14. Thou shalt take him from mine altar God is a God of justice, and will never suffer his sanctuary to screen and protect the guilty. See Deu 19:11-12. 1Ki 2:28; 1Ki 2:46.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 21:14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Ver. 14. Thou shalt take him, &c. ] “A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let none stay him”; – where Pro 28:17 the word Adam , rendered man, hath in the original a little d , to show that a murderer is not worthy to be called a man; – he is to be drawn from the altar to the slaughter. Hebrew Text Note
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
guile . . . thou. Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-6); between these two words, supply: “and then seek refuge t Mine altar”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
presumptuously: Num 15:30, Num 15:31, Deu 1:43, Deu 17:12, Deu 17:13, Deu 18:22, Deu 19:11-13, 1Ki 2:29-34, Psa 19:13, Heb 10:26, 2Pe 2:10
slay: Num 35:20, Num 35:21, Deu 27:24, 2Sa 3:27, 2Sa 20:9, 2Sa 20:10
take him: 1Ki 1:50, 1Ki 1:51, 1Ki 2:28-34, 2Ki 11:15
Reciprocal: Exo 20:13 – General Num 35:31 – Moreover Jos 20:2 – Appoint 1Ki 2:31 – Do 2Ki 11:8 – he that cometh 2Ch 23:7 – whosoever 2Ch 23:14 – Have her forth 2Ch 25:3 – he slew Psa 51:16 – desirest Pro 28:17 – General Dan 3:14 – true 1Ti 1:9 – manslayers
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 21:14. If a man come presumptuously Do this boldly, purposely, and maliciously; for so the word signifies, thou shalt take him from mine altar. God so abhors murder that he will rather venture the pollution of his own altar than the escape of the murderer.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
21:14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine {m} altar, that he may die.
(m) The holiness of the place should not defend the murderer.