The pasture lands of the different towns were to measure "from the town wall outwards a thousand cubits round about," i.e., on each of the four sides. "And measure from without the city, the east side 2000 cubits, and the south side 2000 cubits, and the west side 2000 cubits, and the north side 2000 cubits, and the city in the middle," i.e., so that the town stood in the middle of the measured lines, and the space which they occupied was not included in the 2000 cubits. The meaning of these instructions, which have caused great perplexity to commentators, and have latterly been explained by Saalschtz (Mos. R. pp. 100, 101) in a marvellously erroneous manner, was correctly expounded by J. D. Michaelis in the notes to his translation. We must picture the towns and the surrounding fields as squares, the pasturage as stretching 1000 cubits from the city wall in every direction, as the accompanying figures show, and the length of each outer side as 2000 cubits, apart from the length of the city wall: so that, if the town itself occupied a square of 1000 cubits (see fig. a), the outer side of the town fields would measure 2000 + 1000 cubits in every direction; but if each side of the city wall was only 500 cubits long (see fig. b), the outer side of the town fields would measure 2000 + 500 cubits in every direction.

Numbers 35:11 Parallel Commentaries

ye shall appoint. As the goel, or kinsman, had a right to avenge the death of his relation, by slaying the murderer wherever he found him, the appointment of these cities was a humane institution for the protection of the involuntary homicide; for they were designed only for the protection of such.

Numbers 35:6 And among the cities which you shall give to the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which you shall appoint for the manslayer...

Joshua 20:2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spoke to you by the hand of Moses:

unawares. Heb. by error

Numbers 35:22,23 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast on him any thing without laying of wait...

Exodus 21:13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.

Deuteronomy 4:42 That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in times past...

Deuteronomy 19:4,5 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor ignorantly...