1 Chronicles 6:57

That he that had killed a man might flee thereunto for succor till his cause were tried, Deut. 19:2.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(57) They gave the cities of Judah.—Heb. text, the cities of refuge, Hebron and Libnah, and her pastures. Of the cities mentioned only Hebron was an asylum for the manslayer. The other cities of refuge were Kedesh-Naphtali, Shechem, Bezer, Ramoth-Gilead, and Golan. (See Jos_20:7-8.). Here our translators have adopted the Hebrew marginal correction of the text. (Comp. Jos_21:13, which reads. “The manslayer’s city of refuge, Hebron.”) The same inaccuracy recurs in 1Ch_6:67, below.

With her suburbs.—With her pastures. The phrase has been omitted after Jattir (Jos_21:13).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

57. the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge] Render (with a slight correction of the Hebrew) the city of refuge, Hebron (cp. Jos_21:13), Hebron being the only city of refuge here mentioned (Jos_20:7).

Libnah] Jos_10:29; 2Ki_8:22; 2Ki_19:8. It was in the S.W. of Judah.

Eshtemoa] the modern es-Semu‘a, three and a half hours S. of Hebron.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Of, is not authorized by the Vulgate civitates, but is added, to signify that all these 13 cities were not thus privileged. (Haydock) --- There were only six cites of refuge, of which Hebron was one. See Josue xx. 7. (Calmet) (Menochius) --- Protestants, "And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Juda, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge." But "such a licence to insert words at pleasure, cannot be allowed." Hebrew literally, "they gave cities of Hebrew refuge, Hebron," &c. The "sense absolutely disallows the word Judah," which is omitted , (Josue xxi. 13.) as well as in some Hebrew manuscripts in the Bamberg, and Complutensian editions, and in those of Jablonski and Michaelis. --- Hari, "cities," ought to be hir, "a city," as only one is meant. We should also add with the Arabic and Syriac, and the parallel passage in Josue, "and her suburbs," after Hebron. (Kennicott) --- "Juda" is not found in the Septuagint, &c.: and Buxtorf acted with little wisdom, when he thought he had sufficiently answered Capellus, by observing that the Masora declared the word to be authentic. (Anticrit.) It is a great misfortune that most of the printed Hebrew editions have been given under such influence; and that the Masorets have defaced so many manuscripts by their corrections. (Haydock) --- Hence they probably burnt all the first edition of Naples, 1487, except part of a single copy, comprising the Cethubim given to Eton college by Dr. Pellet, which omits the word Juda. (Kennicott, Dis. i. p. 520-2)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They gave the cities, or, out of the cities; the Hebrew eth being put for meeth, as hath been oft noted.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The city of refuge.

Hebron was one of the six cities of refuge, which were provided to shelter the manslayer from the wrath of the avenger of blood, and thus to cheek the savage lawlessness of a warlike people in a primitive state of society. They are, in one passage of the New Testament, regarded as emblematical of the provision made in Christ for the security of the penitent and returning sinner. There is suggested

I A CASE OF NEED AND DANGER. The cause of the peril and alarm is sin. And the righteous Law and retributive government of God render the case of the sinner one serious in itself and its issues. This appears from the gospel admonitions to repentance.

II A PROVISION OF MERCY AND WINDOW. As the city of refuge was appointed for the innocent manslayer"s escape from vengeance and death, so the guilty sinner is the object of the Divine compassion which has provided in Christ a safe and eternal shelter. In the Divine Redeemer is refuge from sin and condemnation, is the favour and life of God.

III AN ACTION OF FAITH AND ENERGY. The city was of no use except the imperilled Israelite fled unto it for safety. So with Christ, whose almighty sufficiency avails for those, and those only, who accept him and shelter themselves in his riven side. They are saved who have "fled for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel.

IV A DIVINELY PLEDGED SECURITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST. The Jewish Law assured of safety those who made use of the provision for refuge. And the Divine word and faithfulness are pledged to those who confide in Christ, that they shall never perish, but shall have eternal life.

V A TRUE GOSPEL. It is the office of the Church of the Redeemer both to warn sinners of the danger to which they are exposed and to point them to the one only Refuge provided by Divine wisdom for their security and peace. It is a refuge accessible to all and sufficient for all, and there is no reason in the heart of God why any poor sinner should remain outside this refuge and spiritually perish. T.

Vers. 57, 67.

The doctrinal witness of the refuge cities. (Exo_21:13; Num_35:6, Num_35:11, Num_35:14; Deu_19:1-10 Jos 20)

The severity of the Mosaic laws and institutions has often been dwelt on, but a careful estimate of the prevailing sentiments of surrounding nations, in those early times, would rather impress us with the mercifulness of Judaism, and the ways in which customs which pressed with undue severity on individual rights and liberties were toned and modified, in the East two things are familiar which appear strange and unworthy to us:

(1) irresponsible governments, usually involving tyrannous dealings; and

(2) a very light estimate of the value of human life. The mercifulness of Judaism is plainly seen in the Mosaic appointment of the refuge cities. The laws relating to murder are clearly defined, and the different forms of the crime are duly recognized. Premeditated murder is distinguished from unintentional homicide, and the man who accidentally kills another is secured until he can prove the circumstances of the accident. But in the arrangement made for him Moses wisely retains the older sentiment of justice, which called upon the nearest relative of a slain man to act as his blood-avenger, or goel. Amongst the other nations, as the Arab tribes of the present day, "any bloodshed whatever, whether wilful or accidental, laid the homicide open to the duteous revenge of the relatives and family of the slain person, who again in their turn were then similarly watched and hunted by the opposite party, until a family war of extermination had legally settled itself from generation to generation, without the least prospect of a peaceful termination." Moses allowed the goel still to pursue; but the homicide had his chance of escape. Cities conveniently situated on both the west and east of Jordan were made refuge cities, and the roads to them were kept clear. Once within the gates a calm consideration of the circumstances was assured; and only if proved guilty of wilful murder could the man be delivered up to the goel-avenger.

I THE SOCIAL WORKING OF THE REFUGE SYSTEM. Its influence may be shown in:

1. Its cultivation of a worthier sense of justice.

2. Its teaching as to the relation of motive to crime, such motive giving the act of crime its serious quality.

3. Its tendency to relieve the individual from the thought of executing hisown vengeance.

4. Its claim to have a fixed authority for the settling of all social laws, andtheir vindication by due punishments. A worthy and strongly enforced legislative system lies at the very foundation of the peaceful order and stable progress of every nation. The element of personal passion must be removed if punishment is to be wisely administered; men must be willing to put aside their own avengings if social order is to be secured. Nations need to be very careful to secure purity in the administration of justice.

II THE RELIGIOUS SUGGESTIONS OF THE REFUGE SYSTEM. These will differ according to the school of thought to which the preacher may belong. From the evangelical standpoint, the city of refuge symbolizes Christ. The avenger represents the law-penalty under which the sinner comes, which seeks his death. There is made by Christ Jesus a free and open road to himself, the Refuge. But the sinner must himself arise and flee, running into the shelter of the ever-opened gates. When "in Christ," if a due examination be made of his sins, the all-sufficing answer which secures eternal safety is this: "Jesus has already borne the penalty of them all, and the Law cannot revive its satisfied claim." There is "no condemnation" for those who have "fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before them in the gospel.

More generally treated, we may learn:

1. The Divine righteousness in affixing a natural and necessary penalty to every act of sin.

2. The fallen state of man, in that he so readily makes holy avenging into passionate revenging.

3. The mercifulness of the Divine administration, in that God puts man"s passions under wise restraints; and secures the fair, considerate, and honourable treatment even of the sinner. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

See: How to Translate Names

Hebron ... Libnah ... Jattir ... Eshtemoa ... Hilen ... Debir

These are names of places. (See: How to Translate Names)

its pasturelands

the land with grass for animals to eat. See how you translated this in 1 Chronicles 5:16.

translationWords

refuge

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.