Numbers 35:17

17 If a man has in his hand a stone capable of causing death and strikes another man and he dies, the murderer must be put to death.

Numbers 35:17 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 35:17

And if he smite him with throwing a stone
"Or with a stone of the hand" ^F17, which the Jews interpret of a stone so big as to fill a man's hand, and so

wherewith he may die;
at whom it is thrown; is sufficient to cause his death, if struck with it; so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it of a

``stone of fulness of hands, which is sufficient that a man may die with it,''

or be killed by it:

and he die;
by the blow he receives from it, either immediately or in a short time after:

he is a murderer, and the murderer shall surely be put to death;
as in the above case.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F17 (dy Nbab) .

Numbers 35:17 In-Context

15 These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or temporary resident among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

16 "If anyone strikes a person with an iron object and death results, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.

17 If a man has in his hand a stone capable of causing death and strikes another man and he dies, the murderer must be put to death.

18 If a man has in his hand a wooden object capable of causing death and he dies, the murderer must be put to death.

19 The avenger of blood himself is to kill the murderer; when he finds him, he is to kill him.