v1-3: Three cities of refuge were to be set apart, conveniently located in Canaan. Roads were laid so that people could reach the cities easily. These roads were said to be 48 feet wide and were maintained at public expense. See Num 35.

v4-7: The Christian has fled to Christ so that the avenger of blood, the law, cannot condemn him to death. The provision of the cities was a sign of God's mercy.

v8-10: As the territory of Israel grew, as the people obeyed God, three more cities of refuge would be added. These verses refer only to the cities west of the Jordan, as God's intention was that the people live there; this was the land the Lord God gave them (see v1).

The idea was that no one lived far from any city; "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17.27); Christ is willing to receive sinners. What is precious here is that provision is made for unintentional sins.

v11-13: Where the killing of another was found to be deliberate, full punishment was exacted.

v14: A landmark was set up to mark a division; these were set up by their predecessors (or "men of old"). We are wise to take notice of how men of old understood God's word.

v15:  Another rule to prevent injustice, that punishment is not exacted only on the testimony of one person; this protected the individual against a personal vendetta.

v16-19: The false witness was to be treated severely. He would be punished as he intended to do to his brother. See Neh 4.4 "turn their reproach upon their own heads". In Jesus' day, the religious leaders deliberately disobeyed this command in their attempt to destroy Jesus.

v20: The punishment of a false witness would be a warning to others, as in 17.13. The punishment was “life for life, eye for eye...” matching the punishment to the intention of the crime. Yet this still contrasted with the practices of the surrounding nations, with punishments that were both cruel and capricious.