Numbers 35:15

Num 35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, [both] for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

Ver. 15. Shall be a refuge.] Christ is our asylum, to whom running for refuge, when pursued by the guilt of an evil conscience, we are safe; none can take us out of his hands; if we be in Christ the Rock, temptations and oppositions, as waves, dash upon us, but break themselves.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35:15-24 The Old Testament makes a clear distinction between deliberate murder and involuntary manslaughter (35:11, 22-23; Exod 21:12-14; cp. Num 15:22-31). Murder required a penalty of execution, but an accidental death did not. The cities of refuge provided protection only for those who killed another person by accident. • The use of a weapon was proof of malicious intent.

35:15 Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone: The same law applied impartially to everyone; Israel had one standard of justice, not two (one for citizens, another for noncitizens), as in many societies (see also Lev 19:15; Deut 1:16-17; 1 Tim 5:21; Jas 2:2-4).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hebrew, among them.

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

(15) For the stranger, and for the sojourner . . . —The word ger, “stranger,” properly denotes a foreigner who took up a temporary abode amongst the Israelites; whereas toshab, “sojourner,” denotes one who was settled in Israel. Sometimes, however, the words ger and toshab appear to be used as a compound term, as in Lev_25:47, where they occur with the conjunctive (or disjunctive) particle in the former part of the verse, and without it in the latter. “The cities of refuge,” says Dr. Gill, “were of God’s appointing: so Christ, as a Saviour and rock of refuge to His people, is appointed and foreordained of God; they were well known for refuges, as the Lord is in the palaces of Zion; they were open for all at all times, as Christ is for all sinners, even the chief of sinners—Jews or Gentiles; they are all one in Christ—the Israelites, and the stranger and sojourner; all impediments were removed out of the way of them, and plain directions given, as are in the Gospel, and by the ministers of it; and there is always room in Christ for such that flee to Him, as there was in those cities; and being in Him, they are safe from the curse and condemnation of the law, from wrath to come, and from the second death; and their redemption and atonement, peace and reconciliation, liberty, life and salvation, are owing to the death of Christ, their High Priest.” (Comp. Num_15:29.)

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

15. The cities may be used by every class of the community, the true born Israelite, the sojourner (gêr) and the stranger (tôshâbh). See on Num_9:14. Nothing is here said of slaves; they had no legal rights, and it is therefore improbable that they could claim any asylum.

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.

These six cities shall be a refuge both for the children of Israel and for the stranger,.... For an Israelite, and a proselyte of righteousness, one that embraced the Jewish religion, and in all things conformed to it, and to whom there was but one law in things civil and religious:

and for the sojourner among you; the proselyte of the gate, who renounced idolatry, and observed the commands of the sons of Noah, but in other things did not comply with the Jewish ceremonies, yet had the benefit of the cities of refuge equally with the other; though the Jews say (p), such a proselyte or sojourner had only this privilege, who slew a proselyte, but not if he slew an Israelite; but for this distinction there is no foundation in the text:

that everyone that killeth any person unawares may flee thither; whether an Israelite, or a proselyte of righteousness or of the gate.

(p) Misn. Maccot, c. 2. sect. 3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For the stranger; not the proselyte only, but all strangers, this being no matter of religious privilege, but of common right, and agreeable to the law of nature and practice of wise heathens.

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

15. The stranger — A temporary resident.

The sojourner — Literally the dweller — one who remains a settler in Israel but is not an owner of land (Lev_25:40) nor a partaker of the sacred gifts. Lev_22:10; Lev_23:22, notes.

May flee thither — To facilitate the flight Moses commanded the roads to the cities of refuge to be kept open. Deu_19:3. The Talmud adds that at the crossroads posts were erected bearing the word REFUGE to direct the fugitive, lest he should miss his way and fall into the hands of the avenger.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.