And if a man lie not in wait
For the life of another to take it away; or does not do it
willingly, as the Septuagint version, does not seek after it, nor
design it:
but God delivers him into his hand;
it being suffered and ordered by the providence of God, without
whose knowledge and will nothing comes to pass, even what may
seem to be a contingent thing, or matter of chance, to us; or it
is so brought about in providence, that one man falls into the
hands of another, and his life is taken away by him, though not
purposely and maliciously; because, as Aben Ezra expresses it,
for another sin which he has committed, and for which he must die
in this way, though not intended by the person the more immediate
cause of his death:
then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall
flee;
and there be safe both from the avenger of blood, and the civil
magistrate; which place, while Israel were in the wilderness, was
the camp of the Levites, according to Jarchi, or the altar, as
follows; but when they were come to Canaan's land, there were
cities of refuge appointed for such persons, that killed a man
unawares, to flee to, and where they were safe from private
vengeance, and falling a sacrifice to public justice.