Deuteronomy 19:1-13 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

The cities of refuge (lit. of reception, Numbers 35:12 P) were in criminal law the substitute for the local, now disestablished, sanctuaries, each sanctuary in ancient times affording temporary protection for criminals whose guilt was not obvious (Numbers 35*, Joshua 20*). British churches have served the same purpose, (cf. the Sanctuary Knocker of Durham Cathedral and Frithstool of Beverley Minster and of Hexham Abbey). Blood revenge was the police of the primitive Aryan and Semitic peoples, and it needed such restraint as the law of asylum supplied. For the earlier law, see Exodus 21:12-14 * (JE), and for the later, Numbers 35 and Joshua 20:1-6 (both P). The need for this law arose through the operation of the principle of one sanctuary. In Deuteronomy 19:1-7 Moses commands the establishment of three such cities W. of the Jordan, when the Israelites have settled in Canaan no doubt on the sites of disused sanctuaries. When, however, Yahweh has extended their territory (Deuteronomy 19:8-10, see Deuteronomy 19:17), they are to appoint three other cities of refuge, almost certainly E. of the Jordan. Numbers 35:13 ff. speaks of six such cities, three E. and three W. of the Jordan.

Deuteronomy 19:8-10 may be an addition based on Numbers 35:13 ff., as Deuteronomy 4:41-43 almost certainly is.

Deuteronomy 19:11-13 provides sufficient security against the abuse of the right of asylum.

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 19:1

Deuteronomy 19:1-13

1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedesta them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.

4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;

5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the headb slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slayc him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

8 And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;

9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

11 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortallyd that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:

12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.