Deuteronomy19
New Living Translation
1“When the Lord your God destroys the nations whose land he is giving you, you will take over their land and settle in their towns and homes.
2Then you must set apart three cities of refuge in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
3Survey the territory, and divide the land the Lord your God is giving you into three districts, with one of these cities in each district. Then anyone who has killed someone can flee to one of the cities of refuge for safety.
4“If someone kills another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, the slayer may flee to any of these cities to live in safety.
5For example, suppose someone goes into the forest with a neighbor to cut wood. And suppose one of them swings an ax to chop down a tree, and the ax head flies off the handle, killing the other person. In such cases, the slayer may flee to one of the cities of refuge to live in safety.
6“If the distance to the nearest city of refuge is too far, an enraged avenger might be able to chase down and kill the person who caused the death. Then the slayer would die unfairly, since he had never shown hostility toward the person who died.
7That is why I am commanding you to set aside three cities of refuge.
8“And if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he swore to your ancestors, and gives you all the land he promised them,
9you must designate three additional cities of refuge. (He will give you this land if you are careful to obey all the commands I have given you—if you always love the Lord your God and walk in his ways.)
10That way you will prevent the death of innocent people in the land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. You will not be held responsible for the death of innocent people.
11“But suppose someone is hostile toward a neighbor and deliberately ambushes and murders him and then flees to one of the cities of refuge.
12In that case, the elders of the murderer’s hometown must send agents to the city of refuge to bring him back and hand him over to the dead person’s avenger to be put to death.
13Do not feel sorry for that murderer! Purge from Israel the guilt of murdering innocent people; then all will go well with you.
14“When you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession, you must never steal anyone’s land by moving the boundary markers your ancestors set up to mark their property.
15“You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
16“If a malicious witness comes forward and accuses someone of a crime,
17then both the accuser and accused must appear before the Lord by coming to the priests and judges in office at that time.
18The judges must investigate the case thoroughly. If the accuser has brought false charges against his fellow Israelite,
19you must impose on the accuser the sentence he intended for the other person. In this way, you will purge such evil from among you.
20Then the rest of the people will hear about it and be afraid to do such an evil thing.
21You must show no pity for the guilty! Your rule should be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 19.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The cities of refuge, The man-slayer, The murderer. (1–13). Landmarks not to be removed. (14). The punishment of false witnesses. (15–21).
vv1-13
Here is the law settled between the blood of the murdered, and the blood of the murderer; provision is made, that the cities of refuge should be a protection, so that a man should not die for that as a crime, which was not his willing act. In Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, refuge is provided for those who by faith flee unto him. But there is no refuge in Jesus Christ for presumptuous sinners, who go on still in their trespasses. Those who flee to Christ from their sins, shall be safe in him, but not those who expect to be sheltered by him in their sins.
v14
Direction is given to fix landmarks in Canaan. It is the will of God that every one should know his own; and that means should be used to hinder the doing and suffering of wrong. This, without doubt, is a moral precept, and still binding. Let every man be content with his own lot, and be just to his neighbours in all things.
vv15-21
Sentence should never be passed upon the testimony of one witness alone. A false witness should suffer the same punishment which he sought to have inflicted upon the person he accused. Nor could any law be more just. Let all Christians not only be cautious in bearing witness in public, but be careful not to join in private slanders; and let all whose consciences accuse them of crime, without delay flee for refuge to the hope set before them in Jesus Christ.
Key Words
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
כָּרַת: to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces)
גּוֹי: a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
יָרַשׁ: to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin
יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
עִיר: a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
Cross References
Deuteronomy 19Establishes the foundation of lex talionis (life for life, eye for eye) for civil justice.
Supported by JFB
Expressly forbids removing ancient landmarks, reinforcing the permanence of ancestral property boundaries.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Condemns the wicked who remove landmarks, demonstrating the moral weight of this law.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic warning comparing the princes of Judah to those who remove landmarks.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct law parallel for retribution of injuries, specifying eye for eye, tooth for tooth.
Supported by JFB
Specifies setting aside three cities beyond Jordan and three in Canaan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Records Moses already setting apart the first three cities east of Jordan.
Supported by JFB
The historical fulfillment of setting apart the remaining three cities west of Jordan.
Supported by JFB
The original Abrahamic covenant promise regarding the full enlargement of Israel's borders.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reiterates the promised enlargement of Israel's border to the River Euphrates.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Christ applies the two-or-three witnesses rule to church discipline.
Paul cites this law to establish judicial order in spiritual matters.
Contrasts accidental manslaughter with premeditated murder, where the killer is dragged from God's altar.
Pronounces a formal curse on anyone who removes their neighbor's landmark.
Applies the witness rule to show the severity of rejecting Moses' law.