Deuteronomy 19:9

9 provided you keep and observe all these mitzvot I am giving you today, loving ADONAI your God and always following his ways - then you are to add three more cities for yourselves, besides these three;

Deuteronomy 19:9 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:9

If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I
command thee this day
A phrase often met with before, and signifies the putting in practice the several laws, moral, ceremonial, and judicial, which Moses was now making a repetition of, and enjoining the observance of them by a divine authority:

to love the Lord thy God;
which is the source and spring of genuine obedience to the commands of God:

and to walk ever in his ways;
noting constancy and perseverance in them; now all this is mentioned as the condition of the enlargement of their coast, which would be the case if a due and constant regard was had to the laws of God:

and then shall thou add three cities more besides these three;
three more in the land of Canaan, besides the three now ordered to be separated in it, and besides the three on the other side of Jordan; so that there would have been nine in all, if these had been ever added; but that time never came: the Jews expect the addition of these three cities in the days of the Messiah F25 but the Messiah is already come, and all those cities, as they were typical of him, have had their accomplishment in him the antitype of them, of which (See Gill on Numbers 35:29).


FOOTNOTES:

F25 Maimon. Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 8. sect. 4.

Deuteronomy 19:9 In-Context

7 This is why I am ordering you to set aside for yourselves three cities.
8 "If ADONAI your God expands your territory, as he swore to your ancestors that he would, and gives you all the land he promised to give to your ancestors -
9 provided you keep and observe all these mitzvot I am giving you today, loving ADONAI your God and always following his ways - then you are to add three more cities for yourselves, besides these three;
10 so that innocent blood will not be shed in the land ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus blood guilt be on you.
11 "However, if someone hates his fellow member of the community, lies in wait for him, attacks him, strikes him a death blow, and then flees into one of these cities;
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.