Setting – Moses gives instruction to establish cities of refuge for manslayers. He also gives instructions on boundary marks of inheritance and how to handle false testimonials.
Content – Three cities of refuge were to be established. These were reserved for those who innocently killed another person. Numbers 35 gives more details on the provisions on how to handle innocent vs. guilt killings. If the Lord enlarged their territory, they were to add another three more cities of refuge. These cities were establish (v. 10), “So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land…”
Moses also addresses boundary marks. He states (v. 14) that, “You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set in your inheritance…”
He also covers how to handle false testimonials. If a false witness sets a case against another person and is found out (v. 19), “then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother”.
Verse 21 is where we get, "Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
Application – God protects innocents. In the case of an innocent killing, the person was to stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest of that city. God still puts restrictions on the innocent killer (staying within the confines of the city of refuge), but He also doesn’t permit a life for a life type of revenge.
We also see how God thinks of false witnesses, that being, that they are to be punished. Exodus 20:16, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." And Exodus 23:1, "You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.” I only wish we would still follow this command in today’s society; our courts are filled with lies. I need to insure that my witness is true. If I don’t know, I need to how provide guessimates or assumptions. Let my yes be yes and my no, no.
Content – Three cities of refuge were to be established. These were reserved for those who innocently killed another person. Numbers 35 gives more details on the provisions on how to handle innocent vs. guilt killings. If the Lord enlarged their territory, they were to add another three more cities of refuge. These cities were establish (v. 10), “So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land…”
Moses also addresses boundary marks. He states (v. 14) that, “You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set in your inheritance…”
He also covers how to handle false testimonials. If a false witness sets a case against another person and is found out (v. 19), “then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother”.
Verse 21 is where we get, "Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
Application – God protects innocents. In the case of an innocent killing, the person was to stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest of that city. God still puts restrictions on the innocent killer (staying within the confines of the city of refuge), but He also doesn’t permit a life for a life type of revenge.
We also see how God thinks of false witnesses, that being, that they are to be punished. Exodus 20:16, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." And Exodus 23:1, "You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.” I only wish we would still follow this command in today’s society; our courts are filled with lies. I need to insure that my witness is true. If I don’t know, I need to how provide guessimates or assumptions. Let my yes be yes and my no, no.
Comments