Verse-by-Verse Bible CommentaryDeuteronomy 21:9
"So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD. Jump to: Gill's Exposition • Coke's Commentary • Benson's Commentary • Haydock's Catholic Commentary • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes • Treasury of Knowledge Other Authors
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole BibleSo shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you,.... Which otherwise, the person not being found out, and brought to just punishment for it, would devolve upon the whole. Aben Ezra interprets it the punishment of innocent blood, which, by the above method being taken, would not be inflicted on them: when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord; as it was to observe this law concerning the beheading of the heifer, with all the rites and ceremonies belonging to it here enjoined; as well as every other command, statute, and ordinance of the Lord, which are all right to be done, Psalm 19:8. Copyright Statement Bibliography Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy BibleVer. 9. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood— Till this was done, the guilt was to be looked upon as national; but upon this solemn performance the government was deemed to have discharged its duty, and the nation was cleared of all guilt in the matter. This law, we see, made provision to purify a neighbouring city, and in a solemn manner by their magistrates, from any knowledge of a murder in which they had no hand, and to which they were no way privy; to keep up an abhorrence of the crime, and a care to prevent or detest it: in which particular it is remarkable that no ancient lawgiver has been more exact than Moses. The Greeks had some good rules respecting this matter; and Plato, in particular, ordered, that, "upon the finding a murdered body, public declaration should be made, that the murderer (if he could not be discovered) should banish himself immediately from his country." De Leg. vol. 2: lib. 2. Copyright Statement Bibliography Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New TestamentsDeuteronomy 21:9. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood — Till this was done, the guilt was to be looked upon as national; but upon this being solemnly performed, the government was deemed to have done its duty, and the nation cleared of all guilt in this matter. No doubt the chief end of the appointment of this ceremony was to beget and preserve in the minds of men an abhorrence of murder, and a care to prevent or detect it. Copyright Statement Bibliography George Haydock's Catholic Bible CommentaryAnd, &c. Hebrew, "Thou shalt put away," (Haydock) or "extinguish the voice of innocent blood," which otherwise would cry to heaven for vengeance, Genesis iv. 10. In this sacrifice, (Calmet) though it deserves not the name, (Menochius) we may consider Jesus Christ suffering for the sins of others. (Calmet) Copyright Statement Bibliography E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notesput away, &c. See note on Deuteronomy 13:5. guilt of innocent blood = blood-guiltiness, blood being put for guilt. See note on Deuteronomy 21:8. Copyright Statement Bibliography Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeSo shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.
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