Numbers 35:19

Num 35:19. Himself shall slay the murderer — Le Clerc translates it, It shall be lawful for the revenger to kill him: for it seems to be a mere permission, not a precept. He might, without offence to God, or danger to himself, kill the murderer with his own hand. But if he were not able, or did not choose to do it, he stood bound to prosecute him and bring him to justice.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35:19 The avenger was the victim’s closest relative; he was responsible for putting the murderer to death, carrying out the vengeance that justice required (Gen 9:6).

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

Verse 19. The revenger of blood] גאל הדם goel haddam, the redeemer of blood; the next in blood to him who was slain. See on the preceding verse.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer,.... Not only shall have power to do it, but, as it seems, should be obliged to do it; be the executioner of the murderer; but not before his case has been heard, examined, tried, and judged; wherefore the Targum of Jonathan adds,"in judgment,''that is, as Onkelos explains it,"when he is condemned by judgment,''the court of judicature:

when he meeteth him he shall slay him; the first opportunity he has, even though, as Jarchi says, if he meets him in the midst of one of the cities of refuge, and no judgment is passed on him.

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

Him, with impunity. If the judges have passed sentence, he shall be obliged to put it in execution, ver. 21, 31. (St. Augustine, q. 65.) (Estius) --- The laws of Athens required also that a relation should put the murderer to death, though the deceased were even of servile condition. (Demost.) --- Those of Rome condemned the involuntary manslayer to retire for a year, and afterwards to appease some one of the relations, and to offer the sacrifices, and submit to the usual purifications. Even at the present day, the Persians and Arabs deliver the murderer to be slain by the kinsmen of the deceased, after sentence has been passed by the judges.

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).

Either,

1. By himself, as the following words show: so it is only a permission, that he may do it without offence to God or danger to himself. Or,

2. By the magistrate, from whom he shall demand justice: so it is a command, as may appear by comparing this with Num 35:31; Deu 19:12,13.

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

When he meeteth him, i.e., outside a city of refuge.

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

He shall slay him - Either by himself, as the following words shew; so it is a permission, that he may do it without offense to God or danger to himself: or by the magistrate, from whom he shall demand justice: so it is a command.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The avenger of blood could put him to death, when he hit upon him, i.e., whenever and wherever he met with him.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

revenger

Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield "Isa 59:20")

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The avenger of blood

Here the word "blood" is a metonym for the murder. AT: "The one who avenges the murder" or "The relative seeking vengeance" (See: Metonymy)

the accused who struck him must surely be put to death

This can be stated in active form. AT: "the relative must certainly execute the accused man" or "the accused man must die" (See: Active or Passive and Idiom)

translationWords

blood

avenge

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

בפגעו בו WHENEVER HE MEETETH HIM [HE MAY KILL HIM] — even in the cities of refuge.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.