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Orders having been given before for the dividing of the land of Canaan among the lay-tribes (as I may call them), care is here taken for a competent provision for the clergy, the tribe of Levi, which ministered in holy things. I. Forty-eight cities were to be assigned them, with their suburbs, some in every tribe, Nu 35:1-8. II. Six cities out of these were to be for cities of refuge, for any man that killed another unawares, Nu 35:9-15. In the law concerning these observe, 1. In what case sanctuary was not allowed, namely, that of wilful murder, Nu 35:16-21. 2. In what cases it was allowed, Nu 35:22-24. 3. What was the law concerning those that took shelter in these cities of refuge, Nu 35:25-34, etc.
1-8
The Cities of the Levites (1452 BC)
简体中文
利未人的城邑（主前1452年）
¹ 耶和华在约旦河边耶利哥对面的摩押平原对摩西说：
² "你吩咐以色列人，要从所得为业的产业中，把城邑给利未人居住；又要给利未人城邑四围的郊野。
³ 这些城邑要归他们居住，城邑的郊野可以牧放他们的牲畜，存放他们的财物和一切的牲畜。
⁴ 你们给利未人的城邑郊野，要达到城墙以外四围一千肘。
⁵ 你们要在城外东边量二千肘，南边量二千肘，西边量二千肘，北边量二千肘，城在中间；这要作他们的城邑郊野。
⁶ 你们给利未人的城邑中，当有六座逃城，是你们所指定的，使误杀人的可以逃到那里；此外还要给他们四十二座城。
⁷ 这样，你们所给利未人的城邑共四十八座，都要连郊野一起给他们。
⁸ 你们所给的城邑，当从以色列人所得的产业中取出来；多的多取，少的少取；各人要按所承受的产业，把城邑给利未人。"
关于十分之一和供物的律法，已为利未人的供养作了极丰厚的安排；但不可想象，他们到了迦南之后仍像在旷野时那样，全都围着会幕而居；这样既不合宜，也不利于公众利益。所以必须为他们预备居所，使他们可以舒适而有用地生活。此处所安排的正是此事。
I. 城邑连其郊野都分给他们（民35:2）。他们不可分得可耕种的地土；他们也不必"撒种、收割、积蓄在仓里"，因为天父以别人劳碌所得之出产的十分之一喂养他们，好叫他们更专心地研究律法，并有更多闲暇教导百姓；因为他们如此轻易得食，并非为要使他们闲懒度日，而是为要使他们全心全意投入本职的事奉，不被今生的事务缠累。1. 城邑分给他们，使他们可以彼此相近而居，就律法相互交通，彼此建造；遇有疑难之事可以彼此商议，凡事互相坚固。2. 这些城邑有附属的郊野供他们的牲畜之用（民35:3）：城墙以外一千肘可供他们搭盖牲口的棚屋，再向外两千肘作牧场，以放牧牲畜（民35:4、5）。这样便照应了他们：不仅得以存活，还要活得丰盛，并有各样称心的便利围绕他们，使他们不至被邻舍轻看。
II. 这些城邑要从各支派的产业中拨出（民35:8）。1. 这样每个支派都可以从他们田产中向神献上感恩的奉献（因为归给利未人的，就被视为归给耶和华而蒙悦纳），这样他们的产业也就被分别为圣。2. 这样每个支派都可以因利未人住在他们中间而得着益处，"以认识耶和华的美德知识教导他们"；于是这光便扩散到全国各处，无人被撇在黑暗里（申33:10："他们要将你的典章教训雅各"）。雅各对利未怒气的咒诅是："我必使他们分散在以色列中"（创49:7）；但这咒诅变成了祝福；利未人因这样分散，反倒更能多作善工。一国之福，莫过于全国各地都有忠心的传道人充满其中。
III. 分给他们的城邑共四十八座——十二个支派平均各出四座。从西缅和犹大联合支派中出九座，从拿弗他利出三座，其余各支派各出四座，如书21:1-45所记。这样他们便蒙福得着美好的传道职分，而这职分也得着了称心的供养——不仅有十分之一，还有 glebe-lands（教会附地）。虽然福音不像律法那样在这事上规定得如此细致，却明言："蒙道的人当把一切的美物与施教的人分享"（加6:6）。
英文原文
The Cities of the Levites (1452 BC)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
² Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
³ And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.
⁴ And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.
⁵ And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
⁶ And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.
⁷ So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.
⁸ And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.
The laws about the tithes and offerings had provided very plentifully for the maintenance of the Levites, but it was not to be thought, nor indeed was it for the public good, that when they came to Canaan they should all live about the tabernacle, as they had done in the wilderness, and therefore care must be taken to provide habitations for them, in which they might live comfortably and usefully. It is this which is here taken care of.
I. Cities were allotted them, with their suburbs, Nu 35:2. They were not to have any ground for tillage; they needed not to sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, for their heavenly Father fed them with the tithe of the increase of other people's labours, that they might the more closely attend to the study of the law, and might have more leisure to teach the people; for they were not fed thus easily that they might live in idleness, but that they might give themselves wholly to the business of their profession, and not be entangled in the affairs of this life. 1. Cities were allotted them, that they might live near together, and converse with one another about the law, to their mutual edification; and that in doubtful cases they might consult one another, and in all cases strengthen one another's hands. 2. These cities had suburbs annexed to them for their cattle (Nu 35:3), a thousand cubits from the wall was allowed them for out-houses to keep their cattle in, and then two thousand more for fields to graze their cattle in, Nu 35:4,5. Thus was care taken that they should not only live, but live plentifully, and have all desirable conveniences about them, that they might not be looked upon with contempt by their neighbours.
II. These cities were to be assigned them out of the possessions of each tribe, Nu 35:8. 1. That each tribe might thus make a grateful acknowledgment to God out of their real as well as out of their personal estates (for what was given to the Levites was accepted as given to the Lord) and thus their possessions were sanctified to them. 2. That each tribe might have the benefit of the Levites' dwelling among them, to teach them the good knowledge of the Lord; thus that light was diffused through all parts of the country, and none were left to sit in darkness, De 33:10, They shall teach Jacob thy judgments. Jacob's curse on Levi's anger was, I will scatter them in Israel, Ge 49:7. But that curse was turned into a blessing, and the Levites, by being thus scattered, were put into a capacity of doing so much the more good. It is a great mercy to a country to be replenished in all parts with faithful ministers.
III. The number allotted them was forty-eight in all, four out of each of the twelve tribes, one with another. Out of the united tribes of Simeon and Judah nine, out of Naphtali three, and four apiece out of the rest, as appears, Jos 21:1-45. Thus were they blessed with a good ministry, and that ministry with a comfortable maintenance, not only in tithes, but in glebe-lands. And, though the gospel is not so particular as the law was in this matter, yet it expressly provides that he that is taught in the word should communicate unto him that teaches in all good things, Ga 6:6.
9-34
The Cities of Refuge (1452 BC)
简体中文
逃城（主前 1452 年）
⁹ 耶和华对摩西说： ¹⁰ "你吩咐以色列人说：'你们过约但河进迦南地的时候， ¹¹ 就要分出几座城，作为你们的逃城，使误杀人的可以逃到那里。 ¹² 这些城可以作为逃避报血仇者的逃城，使误杀人的不至于死，等他站在会众面前受审判。 ¹³ 你们所拨出的城，其中要有六座逃城。 ¹⁴ 在约但河东要拨出三座，在迦南地也要拨出三座，都作逃城。 ¹⁵ 这六座城要给以色列人和他们中间的外人，并寄居的，作为逃城，使误杀人的可以逃到那里。 ¹⁶ '倘若人用铁器打人，以致打死，他就是杀人的；杀人的必被治死。 ¹⁷ 若用可以打死人的石头打人，以致打死，他就是杀人的；杀人的必被治死。 ¹⁸ 若用可以打死人的木器打人，以致打死，他就是杀人的；杀人的必被治死。 ¹⁹ 报血仇的要亲自杀那杀人的；他遇见他，就要杀他。 ²⁰ 人若因怨恨推人，或是埋伏起来扔物伤人，以致死； ²¹ 或是因仇恨用拳打人，以致死；那打人的必被治死，因为他是杀人的；报血仇的遇见他，就要杀他。 ²² '倘若人没有仇恨，忽然推人，或没有埋伏，偶然扔物在他身上， ²³ 或没有看见的时候，用任何可以打死人的石头扔在他身上，以致死，本不是他的仇敌，也没有谋害他； ²⁴ 会众就要照这些典章，在杀人的与报血仇的中间审判。 ²⁵ 会众要救那杀人的脱离报血仇者的手，也要使他归回他所逃到的逃城；他要住在其中，直到受圣膏的大祭司死了。 ²⁶ '但杀人的若随时出了他所逃到之逃城的境界， ²⁷ 报血仇的若在逃城境界以外遇见他，将他杀了，报血仇的就没有流血之罪； ²⁸ 因为杀人的本该住在逃城里，等到大祭司死了；大祭司死了以后，杀人的才可以回到他所承受为业之地。 ²⁹ 这在你们一切的住处，要作你们世世代代的律例典章。 ³⁰ '无论谁杀了人，凭几个见证人的口，才可把那杀人的治死；只是不可凭一个见证人的口叫人死。 ³¹ '杀了人的，犯了死罪，你们不可收赎价赎他的命；他必被治死。 ³² '逃到逃城的人，你们也不可为他收赎价，使他在大祭司未死之先，回来再住在本地； ³³ 这样，你们就不污秽你们所住之地；因为血是污秽地的；若有在地上流人血的，除非流那杀人者的血，那地就不得洁净。 ³⁴ 你们不可玷污你们所住、我所住在其中的地；因为我耶和华住在以色列人中间。'"
此处所载的，是关于逃城的命令，恰当地附在前文之后，因为这些城都是利未人的城。在这一部分的制度中，既有许多善法的成分，也有纯净福音的成分。
I. 此处有许多善法——关于谋杀与误杀的案件，这是各国律法都特别留意的一案。此处所立定的，与自然公义相符：
1. 故意杀人当处以死刑，且在此情形下不可提供庇护所，不可收赎价，也不可接受刑罚的替代：杀人的必被治死（民 35:16）。设想是因怨恨而行（民 35:20），或因仇恨（民 35:21），或因忽然的激怒（因为我们的救主把无谓的愤怒以及预谋的恶意都算为杀人，太 5:21、22）；无论用铁器（民 35:16）或木器（民 35:18），或向他扔石头（民 35:17、20）将人谋杀；甚至若因仇恨用拳打人，因而致死，这就是杀人（民 35:21）；而凡流人血的，他的血也必被人所流（创 9:6），乃是一条古律，与自然律相符。既行不义，就当偿还；杀人者既不能归还他所非法夺去的生命，就当从他身上索取其自己的生命以为代偿——这并非（如某些人所幻想的）为满足被杀者之亡魂，而是为满足国家的律法与公义，并警戒一切他人不可效尤。此处说，凡君王与国家都当深思：血不但污秽了杀人者的良心——借此证明他里面没有永生存在他里面（约一 3:15）——也污秽了所流之地；因为这在神和一切敬虔人眼中极其可憎，是最大的祸患。又加添说：地不能因所流之血得洁净，惟独借流那杀人者之血方能洁净（民 35:33）。杀人者若逃脱人的刑罚，容他逃脱的人必有诸多当答之责，而神也必不让他逃脱自己公义的审判。基于同样原则，又规定：杀了人的，不可收赎价赎他的命（民 35:31）：人若将全家之物送给审判官、给国家、或给报血仇的，以为赎其罪之价，也必全被藐视。生命之赎价如此宝贵，不能借丰盛的财物而得（诗 49:6-8），这或许暗指此律。此处又有一条律法（在我们的律法中惟在叛逆案中如此）——不可凭一个见证人的口将人处死，必须有两个见证人（民 35:30）；此律在一切死罪案件中都已立定（申 17:6、19:15）。最后，不但对杀人者的起诉，连其处决，都交由至近的亲属；他既在其亲族产业被抵押时作其赎回者，也当他被谋杀时作其报血仇者（民 35:19）：报血仇的本人要杀那杀人的——若案情证据显明，便无需经过司法程序诉诸法庭。但若凶手身份不明，证据可疑，我们不可设想他的单纯疑心或揣测就授权他行审判官自己也不可凭单见证人之口而行的。只是若事实明显，被杀者的最近亲属便可怀着公义的愤慨，无论在何处遇见凶手，将其击杀。有人认为当理解为经过官长合法审判之后，因此迦勒底译文说："他若被判定有罪，便杀他"；但根据民 35:24 似乎可见，审判官只在可疑案件中介入；若他所报之人确为凶手、确为故意杀人者，报血仇者便无罪（民 35:27），只是若情形相反，他便要自担风险。我们的律法准许被杀者的寡妇或最近亲属对杀人者提起上诉，即使杀人者在公诉中已被宣告无罪；若该上诉中杀人者被判有罪，则在上诉人请求下执行判决，这人便可恰当地称为报血仇者。
2. 但若杀人并非出于故意、并非出于设计，若是没有仇恨，也没有埋伏（民 35:22），看不见那人或不谋害他（民 35:23）——我们的律法称之为 chance-medley，或称不幸之误杀——在这种情形下，就设立了逃城给误杀人者逃奔。按我们的律法，这要没收其财物，但所发现的特别情形下，则当然给予赦免。关于逃城，律法如此规定：（1）人若杀了别人，在这些城中便为安全，受律法的保护，直到他在会众面前——即在公堂的审判官面前——受审。他若疏忽不自首，便自担风险；报血仇者若在别处遇见他，或追上他迟迟前往逃城的途中，将其杀死，其血便归在他自己头上，因为他没有利用神为他所设的安全保障。（2）若审判之后发觉是故意杀人，逃城便不再为他提供庇护；这事早已判定：你要从我祭坛那里把他捉去治死（出 21:14）。（3）但若发觉是出于错误或意外，那一击并非旨在夺去被杀者的性命，则误杀人者可继续安全地留在逃城中，报血仇者不可动他（民 35:25）。他要被放逐于自己的家和产业之外，直到大祭司死了；他若在任何时候出了那城或其郊野，便使自己脱离了律法的保护，报血仇者若遇见他，便可将他杀死（民 35:26-28）。如今，[1] 借着保全误杀人者的性命，神要教训我们：人不当为那更可说是其不幸而非其罪、更可说是出于护理而非出于己意的事受刑，因为神将他交在他手中（出 21:13）。[2] 借着将误杀人者放逐于本城之外，拘禁在逃城之中——他在那里如同囚犯——神要教训我们对流人血之罪当存畏惧与厌恶，当十分谨慎生命，常常惧怕因疏忽或怠惰而致人于死。[3] 借着将犯者放逐的期限限定于大祭司之死，那圣职便得了尊荣。大祭司当被视为其国家极大的福分，以至于他死之时，为此所生的忧伤当吞没一切别的怨恨。逃城全是利未人的城，而大祭司为该支派之首，因此对这些城有特别的管辖权；受拘禁于其中的人可恰当地视为他的囚犯，因此他的死便是他们的释放；可以说，正是因他的缘故，犯者被囚禁，因此他死时，拘禁便止。*诉讼随当事人之亡而终。*安斯沃斯另有所解：正如大祭司活着时，借其事奉与献祭为罪赎罪——借此预表基督的赎罪——照样他们死时，那些因偶发杀人之罪被放逐之人便得释放，这预表以色列中的救赎。[4] 借着将囚犯在一旦出了逃城境界时便交给报血仇者，他们受教当坚守无穷智慧为他们安全所定的方法。补救性的律法当如此严格遵守，方为尊荣。我们若忽略这极大的救恩，怎能期望得救呢！
II. 此处在逃城的预表与寓意之下，含有许多纯正的福音；使徒论到我们逃往避难所，持定摆在前面的指望（来 6:18），并得以在基督里（腓 3:9）时，似乎就是暗指这些逃城。我们在旧约历史中，并未读到这些逃城被实际使用过，正如其他类似制度一样；但毫无疑问，它们在所设定的情形下是被人使用的；我们只读到有人在危险案件中控制住祭坛的角（王上 1:50、2:28）；因为祭坛无论在何处，都如同主要的逃城。但关于这些逃城的律法，其设计是要唤起并坚固那些仰望以色列中之救赎的人的期望；这救赎对于因罪自觉有罪、因而恐惧的人，正如逃城之对于误杀人者。当注意：1. 逃城有好几座，分布在全国各处，使误杀人者无论住在以色列地的何处，都可在半日之内到达其中一座；如此，虽然为我们所设的避难所只有一位基督，但我们无论在何处，他都是近在手边的避难所，是随时的帮助，因为这道离我们不远，基督就在这道中。2. 误杀人者在这些城中的任何一座都是安全的；照样，在基督里，逃奔他并以他为安息的信徒，都蒙保护脱离神的忿怒和律法的咒诅。那些在基督耶稣里的，就不定罪了（罗 8:1）。谁能定如此蒙庇护之人的罪呢？3. 它们都是利未人的城；这对可怜的囚犯是一份恩情——他虽不能上到约柜所在之处，却仍处于利未人中间，他们必以认识耶和华的美善知识教训他，并指教他如何善用现今所受的护理。也可期望利未人会安慰他、勉励他，热诚地欢迎他；照样，福音的执事的工作，就是欢迎可怜的罪人归向基督，并扶助、劝勉那些借恩典在基督里的人。4. 连外人和寄居的，虽非本国的以色列人，也可享受这些逃城的益处（民 35:15）。照样，在基督耶稣里，希腊人和犹太人并无分别；连外人的子孙，只要凭信心逃奔基督，也必在他里面得安全。5. 连城的郊野或边界，对犯者也已是足够的保障（民 35:26、27）。照样，连基督衣裳的繸子也有医治、拯救可怜罪人之能。我们若不能达到完全的确据，也可以借恩典中的美好盼望安慰自己。6. 误杀人者在逃城中所寻得的保护，并非因城墙、城门、城闩之坚固，而是纯粹因神的命定；照样，是福音之道使灵魂在基督里得安全，因为神已印验了他。7. 犯者一旦被发现挣扎着出了逃城境界，或偷偷回家，便失了庇护之益，暴露在报血仇者面前；照样，在基督里的人必须常在基督里，因为离弃他、从他游荡出去，便自担风险。退后入于沉沦。
英文原文
The Cities of Refuge (1452 BC)
⁹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
¹⁰ Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
¹¹ Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
¹² And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
¹³ And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.
¹⁴ Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
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.
¹⁶ And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
¹⁷ And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
¹⁸ Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
¹⁹ The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
²⁰ But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;
²¹ Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
²² But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,
²³ Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:
²⁴ Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:
²⁵ And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
²⁶ But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;
²⁷ And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:
²⁸ Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
²⁹ So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
³⁰ Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
³¹ Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.
³² And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
³³ So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
³⁴ Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.
We have here the orders given concerning the cities of refuge, fitly annexed to what goes before, because they were all Levites' cities. In this part of the constitution there is a great deal both of good law and pure gospel.
I. Here is a great deal of good law, in the case of murder and manslaughter, a case of which the laws of all nations have taken particular cognizance. It is here enacted and provided, consonant to natural equity,
1. That wilful murder should be punished with death, and in that case no sanctuary should be allowed, no ransom taken, nor any commutation of the punishment accepted: The murderer shall surely be put to death, Nu 35:16. It is supposed to be done of hatred (Nu 35:20), or in enmity (Nu 35:21), upon a sudden provocation (for our Saviour makes rash anger, as well as malice prepense, to be murder, Mt 5:21,22), whether the person be murdered with an instrument of iron (Nu 35:16) or wood (Nu 35:18), or with a stone thrown at him (Nu 35:17,20); nay, if he smite him with his hand in enmity, and death ensue, it is murder (Nu 35:21); and it was an ancient law, consonant to the law of nature, that whoso sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Ge 9:6. Where wrong has been done restitution must be made; and, since the murderer cannot restore the life he has wrongfully taken away, his own must be exacted from him in lieu of it, not (as some have fancied) to satisfy the manes or ghost of the person slain, but to satisfy the law and the justice of a nation; and to be a warning to all others not to do likewise. It is here said, and it is well worthy the consideration of all princes and states, that blood defiles not only the conscience of the murderer, who is thereby proved not to have eternal life abiding in him (1Jo 3:15), but also the land in which it is shed; so very offensive is it to God and all good men, and the worst of nuisances. And it is added that the land cannot be cleansed from the blood of the murdered, but by the blood of the murderer, Nu 35:33. If murderers escape punishment from men, those that suffer them to escape will have a great deal to answer for, and God will nevertheless not suffer them to escape his righteous judgments. Upon the same principle it is provided that no satisfaction should be taken for the life of a murderer (Nu 35:31): If a man would give all the substance of his house to the judges, to the country, or to the avenger of blood, to atone for his crime, it must utterly be contemned. The redemption of the life is so precious that it cannot be obtained by the multitude of riches (Ps 49:6-8), which perhaps may allude to this law. A rule of law comes in here (which is a rule of our law in cases of treason only) that no man shall be put to death upon the testimony of one witness, but it was necessary there should be two (Nu 35:30); this law is settled in all capital cases, De 17:6,19:15. And, lastly, not only the prosecution, but the execution, of the murderer, is committed to the next of kin, who, as he was to be the redeemer of his kinsman's estate if it were mortgaged, so he was to be the avenger of his blood if he were murdered (Nu 35:19): The avenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer, if he be convicted by the notorious evidence of the fact, and he needed not to have recourse by a judicial process to the court of judgment. But if it were uncertain who the murderer was, and the proof doubtful, we cannot think that his bare suspicion, or surmise, would empower him to do that which the judges themselves could not do but upon the testimony of two witnesses. Only if the fact were plain then the next heir of the person slain might himself, in a just indignation, slay the murderer wherever he met him. Some think this must be understood to be after the lawful judgment of the magistrate, and so the Chaldee says, "He shall slay him, when he shall be condemned unto him by judgment;" but it should seem, by Nu 35:24, that the judges interposed only in a doubtful case, and that if the person on whom he took vengeance was indeed the murderer, and a wilful murderer, the avenger was innocent (Nu 35:27), only, if it proved otherwise, it was at his peril. Our law allows an appeal to be brought against a murderer by the widow, or next heir, of the person murdered, yea, though the murderer have been acquitted upon an indictment; and, if the murderer be found guilty upon that appeal, execution shall be awarded at the suit of the appellant, who may properly be called the avenger of blood.
2. But if the homicide was not voluntary, nor done designedly, if it was without enmity, or lying in wait (Nu 35:22), not seeing the person or not seeking his harm (Nu 35:23), which our law calls chance-medley, or homicide per infortunium—through misfortune, in this case there were cities of refuge appointed for the manslayer to flee to. By our law this incurs a forfeiture of goods, but a pardon is granted of course upon the special matter found. Concerning the cities of refuge the law was, (1.) That, if a man killed another, in these cities he was safe, and under the protection of the law, till he had his trial before the congregation, that is, before the judges in open court. If he neglected thus to surrender himself, it was at his peril; if the avenger of blood met him elsewhere, or overtook him loitering in his way to the city of refuge, and slew him, his blood was upon his own head, because he did not make use of the security which God had provided for him. (2.) If, upon trial, it were found to be willful murder, the city of refuge should no longer be a protection to him; it was already determined: Thou shalt take him from my altar, that he may die, Ex 21:14. (3.) But if it were found to be by error or accident, and that the stroke was given without any design upon the life of the person slain or any other, then the man-slayer should continue safe in the city of refuge, and the avenger of blood might not meddle with him, Nu 35:25. There he was to remain in banishment from his own house and patrimony till the death of the high priest; and, if at any time he went out of that city or the suburbs of it, he put himself out of the protection of the law, and the avenger of blood, if he met him, might slay him, Nu 35:26-28. Now, [1.] By the preservation of the life of the man-slayer God would teach us that men ought not to suffer for that which is rather their unhappiness than their crime, rather the act of Providence than their own act, for God delivered him into his hand, Ex 21:13. [2.] By the banishment of the man-slayer from his own city, and his confinement to the city of refuge, where he was in a manner a prisoner, God would teach us to conceive a dread and horror of the guilt of blood, and to be very careful of life, and always afraid lest by oversight or negligence we occasion the death of any. [3.] By the limiting of the time of the offender's banishment to the death of the high priest, an honour was put upon that sacred office. The high priest was to be looked upon as so great a blessing to his country that when he died their sorrow upon that occasion should swallow up all other resentments. The cities of refuge being all of them Levites' cities, and the high priest being the head of that tribe, and consequently having a peculiar dominion over these cites, those that were confined to them might properly be looked upon as his prisoners, and so his death must be their discharge; it was, as it were, at his suit that the delinquent was imprisoned, and therefore at his death it fell. Actio moritur cum persona—The suit expires with the party. Anisworth has another notion of it, That as the high priests, while they lived, by their service and sacrificing made atonement for sin, wherein they prefigured Christ's satisfaction, so, at their death, those were released that had been exiled for casual murder, which typified redemption in Israel. [4.] By the abandoning of the prisoner to the avenger of blood, in case he at any time went out of the limits of the city of refuge, they were taught to adhere to the methods which Infinite Wisdom prescribed for their security. It was for the honour of a remedial law that it should be so strictly observed. How can we expect to be saved if we neglect the salvation, which is indeed a great salvation!
II. Here is a great deal of good gospel couched under the type and figure of the cities of refuge; and to them the apostle seems to allude when he speaks of our fleeing for refuge to the hope set before is (Heb 6:18), and being found in Christ, Php 3:9. We never read in the history of the Old Testament of any use made of these cities of refuge, any more than of other such institutions, which yet, no doubt, were made use of upon the occasions intended; only we read of those that, in dangerous cases, took hold of the horns of the altar (1Ki 1:50,2:28); for the altar, wherever that stood, was, as it were the capital city of refuge. But the law concerning these cities was designed both to raise and to encourage the expectations of those who looked for redemption in Israel, which should be to those who were convinced of sin, and in terror by reason of it, as the cities of refuge were to the man-slayer. Observe, 1. There were several cities of refuge, and they were so appointed in several parts of the country that the man-slayer, wherever he dwelt in the land of Israel, might in half a day reach one or other of them; so, though there is but one Christ appointed for our refuge, yet, wherever we are, he is a refuge at hand, a very present help, for the word is nigh us and Christ in the word. 2. The man-slayer was safe in any of these cities; so in Christ believers that flee to him, and rest in him, are protected from the wrath of God and the curse of the law. There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, Ro 8:1. Who shall condemn those that are thus sheltered? 3. They were all Levites' cities; it was a kindness to the poor prisoner that though he might not go up to the place where the ark was, yet he was in the midst of Levites, who would teach him the good knowledge of the Lord, and instruct him how to improve the providence he was now under. It might also be expected that the Levites would comfort and encourage him, and bid him welcome; so it is the work of gospel ministers to bid poor sinners welcome to Christ, and to assist and counsel those that through grace are in him. 4. Even strangers and sojourners, though they were not native Israelites, might take the benefit of these cities of refuge, Nu 35:15. So in Christ Jesus no difference in made between Greek and Jew; even the sons of the stranger that by faith flee to Christ shall be safe in him. 5. Even the suburbs or borders of the city were a sufficient security to the offender, Nu 35:26,27. So there is virtue even in the hem of Christ's garment for the healing and saving of poor sinners. If we cannot reach to a full assurance, we may comfort ourselves in a good hope through grace. 6. The protection which the man-slayer found in the city of refuge was not owing to the strength of its walls, or gates, or bars, but purely to the divine appointment; so it is the word of the gospel that gives souls safety in Christ, for him hath God the Father sealed. 7. If the offender was ever caught struggling out of the borders of his city of refuge, or stealing home to his house again, he lost the benefit of his protection, and lay exposed to the avenger of blood; so those that are in Christ must abide in Christ, for it is at their peril if they forsake him and wander from him. Drawing back is to perdition.
先前已下令将迦南地分给各世俗支派（姑且如此称呼），此处则为圣职人员——在圣事上服事的利未支派——作出充足供应的安排。I. 当分给他们四十八座城及其郊野，每支派中都有若干（民 35:1-8）。II. 其中六座要作为逃城，为一切误杀他人者而设（民 35:9-15）。关于这些逃城的律例，请注意：1. 何种情形下不予庇护，即蓄意谋杀的情形（民 35:16-21）。2. 何种情形下予以庇护（民 35:22-24）。3. 关于投奔这些逃城之人的律例（民 35:25-34 等）。