John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. If one be found slain , etc.] After public war with an enemy, Moses proceeds to speak of a private quarrel and fight of one man with another, in which one is slain, as Aben Ezra observes: in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it ; where murders might be committed more secretly, and remain undiscovered, when they came to live in separate cities, towns, and villages, with fields adjacent to them, than now encamped together: lying in the field ; where the quarrel begun, and where the fight was fought: or, however, where the murderer met with his enemy, and slew him, and left him; it being common for duels to be fought, and murders committed in a field; the first murder in the world was committed in such a place, ( Genesis 4:8). The Targum of Jonathan is, “not hidden under an heap, not hanging on a tree, nor swimming on the face of the waters;” which same things are observed in the Misnah f256 , and gathered from some words in the text: in the land , and so not under a heap; lying , and so not hanging; in the field , and so not swimming on the water: and it be not known who hath slain him ; the parties being alone, and no witnesses of the fact, at least that appear; for, if it was known, the heifer was not beheaded, later mentioned f257 ; and one witness in this case was sufficient, and even one that was not otherwise admitted.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - If a murderer could not be found out, great solemnity is provided for putting away the guilt from the land, as an expression of dread an detesting of that sin. The providence of God has often wonderfull brought to light these hidden works of darkness, and the sin of the guilty has often strangely found them out. The dread of murder shoul be deeply impressed upon every heart, and all should join in detectin and punishing those who are guilty. The elders were to profess tha they had not been any way aiding or abetting the sin. The priests wer to pray to God for the country and nation, that God would be merciful We must empty that measure by our prayers, which others are filling by their sins. All would be taught by this solemnity, to use the utmos care and diligence to prevent, discover, and punish murder. We may all learn from hence to take heed of partaking in other men's sins. And we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, if we do no reprove them.
Original Hebrew כי3588 ימצא4672 חלל2491 באדמה127 אשׁר834 יהוה3068 אלהיך430 נתן5414 לך לרשׁתה3423 נפל5307 בשׂדה7704 לא3808 נודע3045 מי4310 הכהו׃5221
