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The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-13
The cities of refuge. The blood-feud, as we know, was carried out remorselessly among nomadic nations, the manslayer having to be slain, even though his manslaying were purely accidental. In other words, there was no di…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-13
The cities of refuge as types. Using the word in a popular and not in a theological sense, we may speak of them in this way. We have in the law ordaining them— I. A VIVID PICTURE OF THE DANGER OF THE SINNER. In certain…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-10
The cities of refuge. The territory of Canaan was allotted to the Jews for this special end, that the principles of the heavenly kingdom might be practically unfolded on earth. In the Divine treatment of men, as members…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:3
Thou shalt prepare thee a way. In the East, the roads were for the most part mere tracks made by the feet of animals used as beasts of burden or for traveling; and this continues to be the case in Palestine and many oth…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:4-7
(Cf. Numbers 35:11, etc.) Deuteronomy 19:8, Deuteronomy 19:9 In case their land should be extended, in ease they should come to possess the whole territory promised by God to the patriarchs, so that their domain should…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:10
The design of appointing these cities was to prevent the shedding of innocent blood, which would be the case were the unintentional manslayer killed in revenge by one of the relatives of the man he had slain; in this ca…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:11-13
These cities, however, were not to be places of refuge for murderers, for those who from hatred and with wicked intent had slain others; if such fled to one of these cities, they were not to be suffered to remain there;…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:11-13
Lex talionis. The refuge provided by mercy is open to abuse. The perversity of man will poison the streams from the heavenly fountain. But in this city of peace none shall abide except those who have clean hands. False…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 19:14
Direction is given to fix landmarks in Canaan. It is the will of God that every one should know his own; and that means should be used to hinder the doing and suffering of wrong. This, without doubt, is a moral precept,…
False Witnesses. (b. c. 1451.)
FALSE WITNESSES. (B. C. 1451.) Here is a statute for the preventing of frauds and perjuries; for the divine law takes care of men's rights and properties, and has made a hedge about them. Such a friend is it to human so…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:14
They of old time; i.e. those of a former age. The word does not necessarily imply that the age described as "former" was removed at a great distance in the past; it might designate men of the immediately preceding age.…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:14-21
The law of retaliation. When we consider "retaliation," we find that it is the converse of the "golden rule." In fact, it is giving back to a person his breach of that rule to see how he likes it. It is just a rough met…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:14
To the ordinance concerning cities of refuge Moses appends one prohibiting the removing of landmarks; if these had been placed by a man's ancestors to mark the boundaries of possessions, they were not to be surreptitiou…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:14
Removing the landmark. 1. A dishonest act. 2. A deceitful act. 3. A covetous act. 4. An injurious act. Nothing would as a rule be more keenly resented than this mean attempt to rob the owner of land of a bit of his anci…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:14
Caution against fraud. Nothing that concerns man's welfare and joy is beneath God's care. The vast extent of his kingdom hinders not his guardianship ever every minute interest of his creatures. Even landmarks, boundary…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 19:15-21
Sentence should never be passed upon the testimony of one witness alone. A false witness should suffer the same punishment which he sought to have inflicted upon the person he accused. Nor could any law be more just. Le…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:15-21
Bulwark against perjury. "The tongue is an unruly member, and cannot easily be restrained." Private slander is base enough, but its basest utterance is when, in the sacred halls of justice, it swears away a man's reputa…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:15-21
To secure against injury to life or property through inadequate or false attestation, it is enacted that more than one witness must appear before anything can be established; and that, should a witness be found on trial…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:15
The rule in Deuteronomy 17:6, regarding accusations of idolatry, is here extended to accusations of every kind before a court of justice; a single witness was not to be admitted as sufficient to convict a man of any off…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:16-21
False witness. God's brand is here placed upon the crime of false witness. It was to be severely punished. Every one is interested in the suppression of such a crime-the parties whose interests are involved, society at…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:16
To testify against him that which is wrong; literally, to testify against him defection, i.e. from the Law of God. The speaker has apparently in view here all such defections from the Law as would entail punishment on t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:17
Both the men, i.e. both parties at the bar, shall stand before the Lord; i.e. shall come to the sanctuary where Jehovah had his dwelling-place in the midst of his people, and where the supreme judges, who were his deleg…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:19
Thought. The verb here used ( זָמַם) means generally to meditate, to have in mind, to purpose; but it frequently has the subaudition of meditating evil (cf. Psalms 31:1-24 :37; Psalms 37:12; Proverbs 30:32, etc.).
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:20
(Cf. Deuteronomy 13:12.)