The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 456

EXPOSITION. very obscure. Some have held that the CH.APTER XXXV. country for 1000 cubits beyond the walls was THE LEVITIOAL CITIES, AND CITIES 011' reserved for pasture (according to ver. 4), REFUGE, AND LAWS A.S TO HOMICIDE (vers. and for another 1000 cubits for fields and 1-34). Ver. 1.-A.nd the Lord spake. vineyards, so that the Levitice.l lands ex• Of. eh. xx.xiii. 60 ; xx:xvi. 13. tended 2000 cubits in all directions. This Ver. 2.-That they give unto the Levites is reasonable in itself, since 2000 cubits is . . . cities to dwell in. This legislation only half a mile, and rather more than a forms the natural sequel and complement of square mile of land would not seem too much the Divine decrees already promulgated con- for pastures, gardens, &c. for a town with cerning the Levites. Separated from the at least 1000 inhabitants. The smallest tribe rest of the tribes from the time of the first territories seem to have comprised some 300 census (eh. i. 49), excluded from any tribal square miles of country; and if we take tho inheritance (eh. xviii 20), but endowed with Levitical towns as averaging 1000 cubits tithes and offerings for their maintenance s9.u11re, their forty-eight cities would only (eh. xviii. 21, &c.), it was also necessary give them seventy-three square miles of that they should be provided with homes territory. There is, however, no notice of for themselves and their cattle. They might anything being given to the Levites except indeed have been left to exist as they could, their ''suburbs," so that this explanation and where they could, upon the provision must be at best very doubtful Others have made for them in the l.e.w. But, on the one argiied for 11 ple.n according to which each hand, that provision was itself precarious, outer boundary, drawn at 1000 cubits' dis- depending as it did upon the piety and good tance from the wall, would measure 2000 feeling of the people (which must often have cubits, plus the length of the town wall ; been found wanting : cf. N eh. xiii. 10 ; MaL but this is far too artificial, lllld could only iii 8, 9); and, on the other, it is evident that be considered possible as long as it was con- the Levites were intended, as far as their fined to a paper sketch, for it presupposes family and social life was concerned, to share that each city lay four-square, and faced the the ordinary comforts nnd enjoyments of four points of the compass. If the first Israelites. Nothing could have been more expl.e.nation be untenable, the only alterna- foreign to the Mosaic ideal than a ministry tive sufficiently simple and natural is to celibate, ascetic, and detached from this suppose that, in order to avoid irregularities world's wealth, such as readily enough sprang of measurement, each outer boundary was to up (whether intended or not) under the be drawn at an approximate distance of 1000 teaching of the gospel (cf. Luke L 4 ; xii. 33 ; cubits from the wall, and each of an approx- Acts xx. 34, 35; 1 Cor. vii. 7, 26, 26; iL 18, imate length of 2000 cubits; at the angles 27; 2 Cor. vi. 10; 2 Tim. ii. 4). Suburbs. the lines would have to be joined ns best 'l'he Hebrew word C?)I? undoubtedly means they might. In Levit. xxv. 32-34 certain here a pasture, or a •paddock, an enclosed regiilations are inserted in favour of the lllace outside the town into which the cattle Levites. Their houses might be redeemed were driven by day to feed. It is possible nt any time, and not only within the full that the A. V. may ho.ve used the word" sub- year allowed to others ; moreover, they urbs" in that sense. To keep cattle to returned to them (con trnry to the general some extent was not only 11 universal cus- rule) at the year of Jubilee. Their property tom, but was well-nigh IL necessity of life in in the "suburbs" they could not sell at all, for it was inalienable. It is difficult to that age. L believe that these regulations were really Ver. 3.-For their cattle. CJ;l'?t:1?7, "for made at Mount Sinai, presupposing, o.s the1, their great cattle," i. e. oxen, cnmelll, and do, the legislation of this chapter ; but if nny other beasts of draught or burden. For they were actually made at this time, on the their goods. "For their poRSossions," which eve of the conquest, it is easy to see why. in this connection would moan their ordinary they were subsequently inserted in tho chap- "live stock," chiefly sheep and goats; the ter which deo.lll generally with the powers of word itself (C~~:>")~) is indoterminate. For sale and redemption. Ver. 6.-A.nd among the oities. Rather, all their beasts. ci:,:1J-',::i7, an expression "and tho cities." Cl 1il/::J nl$J-«ai rdi; which apparently only sums up what has ,roXuc. The construction is broken, or previously been mentioned. rather is continuou~ throughout vers. 6-8, Ver. 6.-Yp shall measure from without the accusative being repeated. Six cities the city (i 1l)~ ymQ-· ,(w rijc ,roXEwc) • • • for rsfuge. See below on ver. ll. two thousand oubit1. These directions ~ Ver, 7.-Forty and eight oihet The 446 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, [CH. xxxv. 1-M.