Numbers 35:17

17 'If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer ¹shall surely 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 'These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

16 'But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17 'If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 'Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19 'The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him.

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 35:31