1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbor ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbor, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
8 And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
11 But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
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.
14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;
18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
1 When the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath cut off H3772 the nations, H1471 whose land H776 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee, and thou succeedest H3423 them, and dwellest H3427 in their cities, H5892 and in their houses; H1004
2 Thou shalt separate H914 three H7969 cities H5892 for thee in the midst H8432 of thy land, H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee to possess H3423 it.
3 Thou shalt prepare H3559 thee a way, H1870 and divide the coasts H1366 of thy land, H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth thee to inherit, H5157 into three parts, H8027 that every slayer H7523 may flee H5127 thither.
4 And this is the case H1697 of the slayer, H7523 which shall flee H5127 thither, that he may live: H2425 Whoso killeth H5221 his neighbour H7453 ignorantly, H1097 H1847 whom he hated H8130 not in time H8543 past; H8032
5 As when a man goeth H935 into the wood H3293 with his neighbour H7453 to hew H2404 wood, H6086 and his hand H3027 fetcheth a stroke H5080 with the axe H1631 to cut down H3772 the tree, H6086 and the head H1270 slippeth H5394 from the helve, H6086 and lighteth H4672 upon his neighbour, H7453 that he die; H4191 he shall flee H5127 unto one H259 of those cities, H5892 and live: H2425
6 Lest the avenger H1350 of the blood H1818 pursue H7291 the slayer, H310 H7523 while H3588 his heart H3824 is hot, H3179 and overtake H5381 him, because the way H1870 is long, H7235 and slay H5221 him; H5315 whereas he was not worthy H4941 of death, H4194 inasmuch as H3588 he hated H8130 him not in time H8543 past. H8032
7 Wherefore I command H6680 thee, saying, H559 Thou shalt separate H914 three H7969 cities H5892 for thee.
8 And if the LORD H3068 thy God H430 enlarge H7337 thy coast, H1366 as he hath sworn H7650 unto thy fathers, H1 and give H5414 thee all the land H776 which he promised H1696 to give H5414 unto thy fathers; H1
9 If thou shalt keep H8104 all these commandments H4687 to do H6213 them, which I command H6680 thee this day, H3117 to love H157 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and to walk H3212 ever H3117 in his ways; H1870 then shalt thou add H3254 three H7969 cities H5892 more for thee, beside these three: H7969
10 That innocent H5355 blood H1818 be not shed H8210 in H7130 thy land, H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee for an inheritance, H5159 and so blood H1818 be upon thee.
11 But if any man H376 hate H8130 his neighbour, H7453 and lie in wait H693 for him, and rise up H6965 against him, and smite H5221 him mortally H5315 that he die, H4191 and fleeth H5127 into one H259 of these H411 cities: H5892
12 Then the elders H2205 of his city H5892 shall send H7971 and fetch H3947 him thence, and deliver H5414 him into the hand H3027 of the avenger H1350 of blood, H1818 that he may die. H4191
13 Thine eye H5869 shall not pity H2347 him, but thou shalt put away H1197 the guilt of innocent H5355 blood H1818 from Israel, H3478 that it may go well H2895 with thee.
14 Thou shalt not remove H5253 thy neighbour's H7453 landmark, H1366 which they of old time H7223 have set H1379 in thine inheritance, H5159 which thou shalt inherit H5157 in the land H776 that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee to possess H3423 it.
15 One H259 witness H5707 shall not rise up H6965 against a man H376 for any iniquity, H5771 or for any sin, H2403 in any sin H2399 that he sinneth: H2398 at the mouth H6310 of two H8147 witnesses, H5707 or at the mouth H6310 of three H7969 witnesses, H5707 shall the matter H1697 be established. H6965
16 If a false H2555 witness H5707 rise up H6965 against any man H376 to testify H6030 against him that which is wrong; H5627
17 Then both H8147 the men, H582 between whom the controversy H7379 is, shall stand H5975 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 before H6440 the priests H3548 and the judges, H8199 which shall be in those days; H3117
18 And the judges H8199 shall make diligent H3190 inquisition: H1875 and, behold, if the witness H5707 be a false H8267 witness, H5707 and hath testified H6030 falsely H8267 against his brother; H251
19 Then shall ye do H6213 unto him, as he had thought H2161 to have done H6213 unto his brother: H251 so shalt thou put H1197 the evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you.
20 And those which remain H7604 shall hear, H8085 and fear, H3372 and shall henceforth H3254 commit H6213 no more any H1697 such evil H7451 among H7130 you.
21 And thine eye H5869 shall not pity; H2347 but life H5315 shall go for life, H5315 eye H5869 for eye, H5869 tooth H8127 for tooth, H8127 hand H3027 for hand, H3027 foot H7272 for foot. H7272
1 When Jehovah thy God shall cut off the nations, whose land Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
2 thou shalt set apart three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3 Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which Jehovah thy God causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither.
4 And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in time past;
5 as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbor, so that he dieth; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live:
6 lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt set apart three cities for thee.
8 And if Jehovah thy God enlarge thy border, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
9 if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, besides these three:
10 that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
11 But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally so that he dieth, and he flee into one of these cities;
12 then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark, which they of old time have set, in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit, in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
16 If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing,
17 then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days;
18 and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and have testified falsely against his brother;
19 then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to do unto his brother: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.
20 And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee.
21 And thine eyes shall not pity; life `shall go' for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
1 `When Jehovah thy God doth cut off the nations, whose land Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, and thou hast succeeded them, and dwelt in their cities, and in their houses,
2 three cities thou dost separate for thee in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee to possess it.
3 Thou dost prepare for thee the way, and hast divided into three parts the border of thy land which Jehovah thy God doth cause thee to inherit, and it hath been for the fleeing thither of every man-slayer.
4 `And this `is' the matter of the man-slayer who fleeth thither, and hath lived: He who smiteth his neighbour unknowingly, and is not hating him heretofore,
5 even he who cometh in with his neighbour into a forest to hew wood, and his hand hath driven with an axe to cut the tree, and the iron hath slipped from the wood, and hath met his neighbour, and he hath died -- he doth flee unto one of these cities, and hath lived,
6 lest the redeemer of blood pursue after the man-slayer when his heart is hot, and hath overtaken him (because the way is great), and hath smitten him -- the life, and he hath no sentence of death, for he is not hating him heretofore;
7 therefore I am commanding thee, saying, Three cities thou dost separate to thee.
8 `And if Jehovah thy God doth enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn to thy fathers, and hath given to thee all the land which He hath spoken to give to thy fathers --
9 when thou keepest all this command to do it, which I am commanding thee to-day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk in His ways all the days -- then thou hast added to thee yet three cities to these three;
10 and innocent blood is not shed in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- an inheritance, and there hath been upon thee blood.
11 `And when a man is hating his neighbour, and hath lain in wait for him, and risen against him, and smitten him -- the life, and he hath died, and he hath fled unto one of these cities,
12 then the elders of his city have sent and taken him from thence, and given him into the hand of the redeemer of blood, and he hath died;
13 thine eye hath no pity on him, and thou hast put away the innocent blood from Israel, and it is well with thee.
14 `Thou dost not remove a border of thy neighbour, which they of former times have made, in thine inheritance, which thou dost inherit in the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee to possess it.
15 `One witness doth not rise against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin which he sinneth; by the mouth of two witnesses, or by the mouth of three witnesses, is a thing established.
16 `When a violent witness doth rise against a man, to testify against him apostacy,
17 then have both the men who have the strife stood before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges who are in those days,
18 and the judges have searched diligently, and lo, the witness `is' a false witness, a falsehood he hath testified against his brother:
19 `Then ye have done to him as he devised to do to his brother, and thou hast put away the evil thing out of thy midst,
20 and those who are left do hear and fear, and add not to do any more according to this evil thing in thy midst;
21 and thine eye doth not pity -- life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
1 When Jehovah thy God hath cut off the nations whose land Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and thou hast dispossessed them, and dwellest in their cities and in their houses,
2 thou shalt separate three cities for thyself in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess.
3 Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the territory of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, so that every slayer may flee thither.
4 And this is the case of the slayer who shall flee thither that he may live: he that smiteth his neighbour unwittingly, whom he hated not previously;
5 as when he goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron slippeth from the handle, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; such an one shall flee unto one of these cities, and live;
6 lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, since he hated him not previously.
7 Therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thyself.
8 And if Jehovah thy God enlarge thy border, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers
9 (if thou keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk in his ways continually), then shalt thou add three cities more for thyself to these three,
10 that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and blood come not upon thee.
11 But if a man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and he flee into one of these cities,
12 then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
13 Thine eye shall not spare him; and thou shalt put away innocent blood from Israel, that it may be well with thee.
14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have fixed in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess.
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
16 If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of an offence;
17 then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days;
18 and the judges shall make thorough inquiry; and if the witness be a false witness, and he have testified falsely against his brother,
19 then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother; and thou shalt put evil away from thy midst.
20 And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in thy midst.
21 And thine eye shall not spare: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
1 When Yahweh your God shall cut off the nations, whose land Yahweh your God gives you, and you succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses;
2 you shall set apart three cities for you in the midst of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it.
3 You shall prepare you the way, and divide the borders of your land, which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee there.
4 This is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee there and live: whoever kills his neighbor unawares, and didn't hate him in time past;
5 as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetches a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle, and lights on his neighbor, so that he dies; he shall flee to one of these cities and live:
6 lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he didn't hate him in time past.
7 Therefore I command you, saying, You shall set apart three cities for you.
8 If Yahweh your God enlarge your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and give you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers;
9 if you shall keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you this day, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shall you add three cities more for you, besides these three:
10 that innocent blood not be shed in the midst of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, and so blood be on you.
11 But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and strike him mortally so that he dies, and he flee into one of these cities;
12 then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you.
14 You shall not remove your neighbor's landmark, which they of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit, in the land that Yahweh your God gives you to possess it.
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
16 If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing,
17 then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who shall be in those days;
18 and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother;
19 then shall you do to him, as he had thought to do to his brother: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you.
20 Those who remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of you.
21 Your eyes shall not pity; life [shall go] for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
1 When the nations, whose land the Lord your God is giving you, have been cut off by him, and you have taken their place and are living in their towns and in their houses;
2 You are to have three towns marked out in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage.
3 You are to make ready a way, and see that the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage, is marked out into three parts, to which any taker of life may go in flight.
4 This is to be the rule for anyone who goes in flight there, after causing the death of his neighbour in error and not through hate;
5 For example, if a man goes into the woods with his neighbour for the purpose of cutting down trees, and when he takes his axe to give a blow to the tree, the head of the axe comes off, and falling on to his neighbour gives him a wound causing his death; then the man may go in flight to one of these towns and be safe:
6 For if not, he who has the right of punishment may go running after the taker of life in the heat of his wrath, and overtake him because the way is long, and give him a death-blow; though it is not right for him to be put to death because he was not moved by hate.
7 And so I am ordering you to see that three towns are marked out for this purpose.
8 And if the Lord your God makes wide the limits of your land, as he said in his oath to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he undertook to give to your fathers;
9 If you keep and do all these orders which I give you today, loving the Lord your God and walking ever in his ways; then let three more towns, in addition to these three, be marked out for you:
10 So that in all your land, which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage, no man may be wrongly put to death, for which you will be responsible.
11 But if any man has hate for his neighbour, and waiting for him secretly makes an attack on him and gives him a blow causing his death, and then goes in flight to one of these towns;
12 The responsible men of his town are to send and take him, and give him up to the one who has the right of punishment to be put to death.
13 Have no pity on him, so that Israel may be clear from the crime of putting a man to death without cause, and it will be well for you.
14 Your neighbour's landmark, which was put in its place by the men of old times, is not to be moved or taken away in the land of your heritage which the Lord your God is giving you.
15 One witness may not make a statement against a man in relation to any sin or wrongdoing which he has done: on the word of two or three witnesses a question is to be judged.
16 If a false witness makes a statement against a man, saying that he has done wrong,
17 Then the two men, between whom the argument has taken place, are to come before the Lord, before the priests and judges who are then in power;
18 And the judges will have the question looked into with care: and if the witness is seen to be false and to have made a false statement against his brother,
19 Then do to him what it was his purpose to do to his brother: and so put away the evil from among you.
20 And the rest of the people, hearing of it, will be full of fear, and never again do such evil among you.
21 Have no pity; let life be given for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 19
Commentary on Deuteronomy 19 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 19
The laws which Moses had hitherto been repeating and urging mostly concerned the acts of religion and devotion towards God; but here he comes more fully to press the duties of righteousness between man and man. This chapter relates,
Deu 19:1-13
It was one of the precepts given to the sons of Noah that whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed, that is, by the avenger of blood, Gen. 9:6. Now here we have the law settled between blood and blood, between the blood of the murdered and the blood of the murderer, and effectual provision made,
Deu 19:14-21
Here is a statute for the preventing of frauds and perjuries; for the divine law takes care of men's rights and properties, and has made a hedge about them. Such a friend is it to human society and men's civil interest.