The meaning is: Since taking another person’s life by any means whatever is murder and exposes the murderer to the penalty of retaliation, if the d…

But if he thrust him suddenly ... — See Deuteronomy 19:4-5, where the meaning of the law is illustrated.

Or with any stone wherewith a man may die
Which is sufficient to kill a man, if thrown at him:

se…

To show plainly the abhorrence of murder, and to provide more effectively for the punishment of the murderer, the nearest relation of the deceased,…