4 " Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live : when he kills his friend unintentionally e , not hating him previously - 5 as when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood , and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree , and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his friend so that he dies -he may flee to one of these cities and live ; 6 otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger , and overtake him, because the way is long , and take his life , though he was not deserving of death , since he had not hated him previously . 7 "Therefore e , I command you, saying , 'You shall set aside three cities for yourself.' 8 "If the Lord your God enlarges your territory , just as He has sworn to your fathers , and gives you all the land which He promised to give your fathers - 9 if you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today , to love the Lord your God , and to walk in His ways always e - then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three . 10 "So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance , and bloodguiltiness be on you.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:4-10
Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-13
(Read Deuteronomy 19:1-13)
Here is the law settled between the blood of the murdered, and the blood of the murderer; provision is made, that the cities of refuge should be a protection, so that a man should not die for that as a crime, which was not his willing act. In Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, refuge is provided for those who by faith flee unto him. But there is no refuge in Jesus Christ for presumptuous sinners, who go on still in their trespasses. Those who flee to Christ from their sins, shall be safe in him, but not those who expect to be sheltered by him in their sins.