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.
A false H8267 witness H5707 shall not be unpunished, H5352 and he that speaketh H6315 lies H3577 shall not escape. H4422
A false H8267 witness H5707 shall not be unpunished, H5352 and he that speaketh H6315 lies H3577 shall perish. H6
Then ye shall bring H3318 them both H8147 out unto the gate H8179 of that city, H5892 and ye shall stone H5619 them with stones H68 that they die; H4191 the damsel, H5291 because H834 H1697 she cried H6817 not, being in the city; H5892 and the man, H376 because H834 H1697 he hath humbled H6031 his neighbour's H7453 wife: H802 so thou shalt put away H1197 evil H7451 from among H7130 you.
And the king H4430 commanded, H560 and they brought H858 those H479 men H1400 which had accused H399 H7170 Daniel, H1841 and they cast H7412 them into the den H1358 of lions, H744 them, H581 their children, H1123 and their wives; H5389 and the lions H744 had the mastery H5705 H7981 of them, and brake H1855 all H3606 their bones H1635 in pieces H1855 or ever H3809 they came H4291 at the bottom H773 of the den. H1358
And that prophet, H5030 or that dreamer H2492 of dreams, H2472 shall be put to death; H4191 because he hath spoken H1696 to turn H5627 you away from the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which brought you out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and redeemed H6299 you out of the house H1004 of bondage, H5650 to thrust H5080 thee out of the way H1870 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 commanded H6680 thee to walk in. H3212 So shalt thou put H1197 the evil H7451 away H1197 from the midst H7130 of thee.
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.
And they shall say H559 unto the elders H2205 of his city, H5892 This our son H1121 is stubborn H5637 and rebellious, H4784 he will not obey H8085 our voice; H6963 he is a glutton, H2151 and a drunkard. H5433 And all the men H582 of his city H5892 shall stone H7275 him with stones, H68 that he die: H4191 so shalt thou put H1197 evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you; and all Israel H3478 shall hear, H8085 and fear. H3372
Then they shall bring out H3318 the damsel H5291 to the door H6607 of her father's H1 house, H1004 and the men H582 of her city H5892 shall stone H5619 her with stones H68 that she die: H4191 because she hath wrought H6213 folly H5039 in Israel, H3478 to play the whore H2181 in her father's H1 house: H1004 so shalt thou put H1197 evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you.
If a man H376 be found H4672 stealing H1589 any H5315 of his brethren H251 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and maketh merchandise H6014 of him, or selleth H4376 him; then that thief H1590 shall die; H4191 and thou shalt put H1197 evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you.
Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning the prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 in my name, H8034 and I sent H7971 them not, yet they say, H559 Sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall not be in this land; H776 By sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall those prophets H5030 be consumed. H8552
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 19
Commentary on Deuteronomy 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
De 19:1-13. Of the Cities of Refuge.
2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land—Goelism, or the duty of the nearest kinsmen to avenge the death of a slaughtered relative, being the customary law of that age (as it still is among the Arabs and other people of the East), Moses incorporated it in an improved form with his legislative code. For the protection of the unintentional homicide, he provided certain cities of refuge—three had been destined for this purpose on the east of Jordan (De 4:41; Nu 35:11); three were to be invested with the same privilege on the west of that river when Canaan should be conquered.
in the midst of thy land—in such a position that they would be conspicuous and accessible, and equidistant from the extremities of the land and from each other.
3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way—The roads leading to them were to be kept in good condition and the brooks or rivers to be spanned by good bridges; the width of the roads was to be thirty-two cubits; and at all the crossroads signposts were to be erected with the words, Mekeleth, Mekeleth, "refuge, refuge," painted on them.
divide the coasts of thy land … into three parts—the whole extent of the country from the south to the north. The three cities on each side of Jordan were opposite to each other, "as two rows of vines in a vineyard" (see on Jos 20:7).
6, 7. Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot—This verse is a continuation of De 19:3 (for De 19:4, 5, which are explanatory, are in a parenthetical form), and the meaning is that if the kinsman of a person inadvertently killed should, under the impulse of sudden excitement and without inquiring into the circumstances, inflict summary vengeance on the homicide, however guiltless, the law tolerated such an act; it was to pass with impunity. But to prevent such precipitate measures, the cities of refuge were established for the reception of the homicide, that "innocent blood might not be shed in thy land" (De 19:10). In the case of premeditated murder (De 19:11, 12), they afforded no immunity; but, if it were only manslaughter, the moment the fugitive was within the gates, he found himself in a safe asylum (Nu 35:26-28; Jos 20:6).
8, 9. And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast—Three additional sanctuaries were to be established in the event of their territory extending over the country from Hermon and Gilead to the Euphrates (see Ge 15:18; Ex 23:31). But it was obscurely hinted that this last provision would never be carried into effect, as the Israelites would not fulfil the conditions, namely, "that of keeping the commandments, to love the Lord, and walk ever in his ways." In point of fact, although that region was brought into subjection by David and Solomon, we do not find that cities of refuge were established; because those sovereigns only made the ancient inhabitants tributary, instead of sending a colony of Israelites to possess it. The privilege of sanctuary cities, however, was given only for Israelites; and besides, that conquered territory did not remain long under the power of the Hebrew kings.
De 19:14. The Landmark Is Not to Be Removed.
14. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old have set in thine inheritance—The state of Palestine in regard to enclosures is very much the same now as it has always been. Though gardens and vineyards are surrounded by dry-stone walls or hedges of prickly pear, the boundaries of arable fields are marked by nothing but by a little trench, a small cairn, or a single erect stone, placed at certain intervals. It is manifest that a dishonest person could easily fill the gutter with earth, or remove these stones a few feet without much risk of detection and so enlarge his own field by a stealthy encroachment on his neighbor's. This law, then, was made to prevent such trespasses.
De 19:15. Two Witnesses Required.
15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity—The following rules to regulate the admission of testimony in public courts are founded on the principles of natural justice. A single witness shall not be admitted to the condemnation of an accused person.
De 19:16-21. Punishment of a False Witness.
16-21. But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).