Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 20:6
And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, [and] until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
6. until the death of the high priest ] “To the tyme that the great priest dye,” Wyclif. The protection granted was provisional, until the manslayer and the pursuer could be duly heard by the assembly of the elders of the city where the occurrence took place, and the guilt or innocence of the former established. In the latter case the homicide was safely lodged in the City of Refuge until the death of the anointed High priest (Num 35:25).
then shall the slayer return ] The death of the ruling High priest, “the head of the theocracy and representative of the whole people,” was regarded as of such importance that any other death was, so to speak, forgotten in consequence, and an amnesty ensued during which the manslayer was at liberty to return to his home. Thus as on the one hand by disallowing compensation by money in the case of wilful murder, the Jewish Law shewed a just regard for human life, and put the poor on the same footing as the rich, so on the other “the asylum afforded by Moses displayed the same benign regard for human life in respect of the homicide himself. Had no obstacle been put in the way of the Goel, instant death would have awaited any one who had the misfortune to occasion the death of another. By his wise arrangements, however, Moses interposed a seasonable delay, and enabled the manslayer to appeal to the laws and justice of his country. Momentary wrath could hardly execute its fell purposes, and a suitable refuge was provided for the guiltless and unfortunate.” Kitto’s Biblical Cyclopdia, i. p. 527.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Standing was the posture of the accused and accusers, Exo 18:13; Isa 1:8; Zec 3:1.
Before the congregation, or, company, or assembly, to wit, the council appointed to judge of these matters: not the council of the city of refuge, for they had examined him before, Jos 20:4; but of the city to which he belonged, or in or nigh which the fact was committed, as appears from Num 35:25.
Until the death of the high priest; of which see Poole “Num 35:25“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. until the death of the highpriestHis death secured the complete deliverance of themanslayer from his sin, only because he had been anointed with theholy oil (Nu 35:25), the symbolof the Holy Ghost; and thus the death of the earthly high priestbecame a type of that of the heavenly one (Heb 9:14;Heb 9:15).
Jos20:7-9. THE ISRAELITESAPPOINT BY NAMETHE CITIES OFREFUGE.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he shall dwell in that city until he shall stand before the congregation for judgment,…. That is, until his cause was heard in the court of judicature in his own city, or in any other to which the avenger of blood should appeal: see Nu 35:24; who if they found him guilty of death, they put him to death; but if only guilty of accidental manslaughter, then they delivered him up to his city of refuge for safety, where he was to abide
until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days; see
Nu 35:25;
then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled; and live with his family in the enjoyment of his possessions and estates, honours, and privileges belonging to him, as before; see Nu 35:28.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. Until he stand before the congregation The local authorities shall summon him and the Goel to appear before them for a judicial inquest and verdict. The congregation or jury was to hear both sides, and to decide whether the deed proceeded from malice or was accidental. If he was condemned he was to be executed; but if he was acquitted he was not set at liberty, but was sent back to live in the refuge till the death of the High Priest. Here we see the superiority of this system of protection over the pagan asylum of the altar, in the temple of some god, which shielded the guilty and the innocent alike.
Until the death of the high priest This does not mean that the death of the High Priest takes place at the same time with the summons to trial. The only occasions on which an innocent manslayer may leave the refuge are, 1st, temporarily, for a trial where the manslaying occurred; and 2d, permanently, at the death of the High Priest.
Why should he be released when the High Priest dies? Probably because he was anointed as the representative and mediator of the people, who alone was able to offer annual expiation for the whole people. His death, therefore, may be regarded as an atonement prefiguring the death of our heavenly High Priest, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot unto God. Heb 9:14-15.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And he shall dwell in that city until he stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then shall the slayer return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from where he fled.’
The manslayer must eventually be tried. If found guilty of deliberate murder he is to be handed over to those who seek blood vengeance. If innocent he is to be allowed to remain in the city of refuge. But the death of the high priest finally provides for his release. On the death of the high priest his innocent manslaying is in some way expiated and blood vengeance must no longer be required. Such blood vengeance would then itself be looked on as murder. This suggests that the high priest is in some way seen as representing the whole of the people, and his death is therefore seen as substitutionary on their behalf in respect of non-deliberate sin.
Stand before the congregation.’ This suggests that their judgment is seen as carried out before all the people on whose behalf the elders act. Perhaps final ratification of the verdict was required by all the men of the city in such a case. Or it may even suggest that a final verdict was obtained at the Tabernacle at the great feasts when such a man was brought before YHWH for a final verdict.
“High priest.” The priest at the Tabernacle is usually called ‘the Priest’. High priest occurs in Num 35:25; Num 35:28; Lev 21:10. It was possibly at this stage not an official title but indicated the recognised leading priest at the sanctuary. He was the representative of the people and wore the holy garments. Such an official was also common in the surrounding nations so that there are no grounds for denying its authenticity here. His death was clearly seen as a hugely important event, even a sacrificial event, resulting in a general expiation for non-deliberate sin.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jos 20:6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, [and] until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
Ver. 6. Until he stand before the congregation for judgment. ] Until his cause be tried, and the truth bolted out, that he may be cleared or doomed by the judges, with the assent of the people, whose voice should be Currat lex, fiat iustitia, ruat orbis.
Until the death of the high priest.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
until. The cities of refuge, being cities of the priests, bore the sin of the mauslayer. What the high priest was to the Levites, the Levites were to the nation. On the Day of Atonement, therefore, all the sins of the nation came into his hand. On his death he was freed from the Law (Rom 6:7; Rom 7:1-4), and those whom he represented were freed also. Compare Rom 5:9-11. Heb 7:23-25 for the contrast.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
until: Num 35:12, Num 35:24, Num 35:25, Heb 9:26
Reciprocal: Jos 20:9 – until he stood
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 20:6. Stand Which was the posture of the accused and accusers. The congregation The council appointed to judge of these matters, not the council of the city of refuge, for they had examined him before, (Jos 20:4,) but of the city to which he belonged, or in or nigh which the fact was committed, as appears from Num 35:25.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
20:6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for {c} judgment, [and] until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
(c) Till his cause was proved.