Numbers 35:17

17 Or suppose a person is holding a stone that could kill. And he uses it to hit and kill someone. Then he is a murderer. He 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (dy Nbab) .

Numbers 35:17 In-Context

15 " 'Those six towns will be places where the people of Israel can go for safety. Outsiders and any other people living in Israel can also go to them for safety. So anyone who has killed another person by accident can run there.

16 " 'Suppose a person uses an iron object to hit and kill someone. Then he is a murderer. He must be put to death.

17 Or suppose a person is holding a stone that could kill. And he uses it to hit and kill someone. Then he is a murderer. He must be put to death.

18 Or suppose a person is holding a wooden object that could kill. And he uses it to hit and kill someone. Then he is a murderer. He must be put to death.

19 " 'The dead person's nearest male relative should kill the murderer. When he meets him, he should kill him.