Bridges on Proverbs 28:17
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 28:17
 
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17.  A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
 
The first law against the murderer must not be broken down. Like the law of the Sabbath, it was in force from the beginning. ‘It was enacted and published before him, out of whose loins the whole world after the flood was to be repeopled; to shew that it was not meant for a national or temporary ordinance, but for an universal and perpetual law.’ The reason given for the command confirms its universal obligation. To destroy “the image of God” must be high treason against God himself. (Genesis 9:6.) Again did God declare his mind in the Levitical law. No satisfaction must be taken for the murderer. Another reason is given — “Blood defileth the land,” and only the murderer's blood can cleanse it. (Numbers 35:33.) Nay — even the Heathen judged this awful transgressor to be under the divine vengeance. (Acts 28:4.) The death therefore of the murderer is an imperative obligation. It is miscalled philanthropy, that protests against all capital punishments. Shall man pretend to be more merciful than God? Pity is misplaced here. The murderer therefore of his brother is his own murderer. He shall flee to the pit, hurried thither by his own horror of conscience, by the sword of justice, or by the certain judgment of God. Let no man stay him. Let God's law take its course.
Yet we must not cast off his soul. Visiting the condemned cell is a special exercise of mercy. While we bow to the stern justice of the great law-giver, joyous indeed it is to bring to the sinner under the sentence of the law, the free forgiveness of the Gospel; not as annulling his sin, but shewing the over-abounding of grace beyond the abounding of sin. (Romans 5:20.)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Bp. Sanderson's Sermon on Chapter 24:10-12.
 

 
Proverbs 24:10
10 ¶ If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. {small: Heb. narrow} 11 ¶ If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
 
 
Genesis 9:6
6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
 
 
Numbers 35:33
33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. {the land cannot...: Heb. there can be no expiation for the land}
 
 
Acts 28:4
4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
 
 
 
Footnote:
Deuteronomy 19:13.
 

 
Deuteronomy 19:13
13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 2:32. Exodus 21:14. 2 Kings 11:15.
 

 
1 Kings 2:32
32 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
 
Exodus 21:14
14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
 
2 Kings 11:15
15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 21:19; 22:38. 2 Kings 9:33-37.
 

 
1 Kings 21:19
19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
 
1 Kings 22:38
38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
 
2 Kings 9:33-37
33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot. 34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter. 35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: {by: Heb. by the hand of} 37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.
 
 
Romans 5:20
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: