Deuteronomy 19: Cities of refuge, boundary stones, and witnesses
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What happens?
Moses tells Israel to set apart three cities in the land, so that a person who kills someone by accident can flee there and live, and three more if their land grows. A person who kills on purpose is to be handed over to the avenger of blood. Then Moses forbids moving a neighbor's boundary stone, says a matter must be settled by two or three witnesses, and says a false witness must suffer what he planned to do to the other man.
Who is speaking?
Moses speaks in all 21 verses, going on with the laws he gives Israel in the plains of Moab. He speaks of what Yahweh commands, but these are his own words, so none of them is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When Yahweh your God cuts off the nations whose land Yahweh your God gives you, and you succeed them and dwell in their cities and in their houses,
In plain English: When Yahweh your God cuts off the nations whose land Yahweh your God is giving you, and you take their place (or: drive them out) and live in their cities and in their houses,
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2you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess.
In plain English: you are to set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, the land Yahweh your God is giving you to possess.
Good to know: Moses has already set apart three cities east of the Jordan in to . speaks of three cities beyond the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan. The three cities here are in the land Israel is about to enter. and later name six cities in all.
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3You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there.
In plain English: You are to prepare the road, and divide the territory of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you as your inheritance, into three parts, so that anyone who kills a person can flee there.
The Hebrew word: "Man slayer" is ratsach, which the dictionary gives as "to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being), especially to murder". It is the same word as in "You shall not murder" (, ).
How it is translated: This Bible says "murder" or a longer form in 17 of the 40 verses that use ratsach, and "slayer" or a longer form in 19. In this chapter it is used for a person who kills by accident.
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4This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past—
In plain English: This is the case of the one who kills a person and may flee there and live: someone who kills his neighbor by accident (literally: without knowing), and had not hated him before (literally: yesterday and the day before).
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5as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live.
In plain English: For example, a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood. His hand swings the ax to cut down a tree, the head (literally: the iron) slips off the handle and hits his neighbor, and he dies. That man may flee to one of these cities and live.
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6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past.
In plain English: Otherwise the avenger of blood might chase the one who killed, while his heart is hot with anger, catch him because the road is long, and kill him, even though he did not deserve to die, because he had not hated the man before.
The Hebrew word: "Avenger" is go'el. The dictionary gives it as "to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.)". The avenger of blood is the dead man's close relative. See also .
How it is translated: This Bible says a form of "redeem" in 60 of the 84 verses that use the word, and "avenger" in 12.
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7Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves.
In plain English: That is why I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves.
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8If Yahweh your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers;
In plain English: If Yahweh your God makes your border larger, as he swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land he promised to give to your fathers,
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9and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three.
In plain English: and if you keep all this commandment I command you today and do it, loving Yahweh your God and always walking in his ways, then you are to add three more cities for yourselves, besides these three.
Good to know: The text does not say how these three more cities fit with the three east of the Jordan in , or whether there would be nine cities in all. Readers differ.
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10This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you.
In plain English: This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land, the land Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance, and blood guilt will not be on you.
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11But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities;
In plain English: But if a man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, attacks him, and strikes him so that he dies, and then flees to one of these cities,
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12then 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.
In plain English: the elders of his own city are to send and bring him back from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he dies.
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13Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.
In plain English: You are not to pity him (literally: your eye is not to pity him). You are to remove the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it will go well with you.
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14You 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.
In plain English: You are not to move your neighbor's boundary stone, which people of old set up, in the inheritance you will receive in the land Yahweh your God is giving you to possess.
Good to know: gives the same rule: "Don't move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up."
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15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
In plain English: One witness is not enough to stand against a man for any wrongdoing or any sin he has done. A matter is to be settled on the word (literally: at the mouth) of two witnesses or of three witnesses.
Good to know: The rule of two or three witnesses is also in , for a person who is to be put to death. It is quoted in and .
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16If an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,
In plain English: If a witness who wants to do harm (literally: a witness of violence) stands up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing (or: of turning away),
The Hebrew word: "Wrongdoing" is sarah, which the dictionary gives as "apostasy, crime". In the same word is used for a prophet who has spoken "rebellion against Yahweh".
How it is translated: This Bible says "rebellion" in 3 of the 8 verses that use sarah, and "wrongdoing" only here.
What changes: Read as "wrongdoing", the false witness accuses a man of any crime. Read as "turning away", he accuses him of turning away from Yahweh, as in 13:5. The Hebrew allows both.
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17then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who shall be in those days;
In plain English: then both men in the dispute are to stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who are serving at that time.
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18and the judges shall make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother,
In plain English: The judges are to look into it carefully. If the witness turns out to be a false witness, who has spoken falsely against his brother,
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19then you shall do to him as he had thought to do to his brother. So you shall remove the evil from among you.
In plain English: then you are to do to him what he planned to do to his brother. So you will remove the evil from among you.
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20Those who remain shall hear, and fear, and will never again commit any such evil among you.
In plain English: The rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you.
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21Your eyes shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
In plain English: You are not to pity (literally: your eye is not to pity): life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Good to know: The same words "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" are in , and "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" in . Here they are the rule for a false witness. In Jesus quotes "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth", and in he goes on, "But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil." The text here does not say how the rule was carried out, and readers differ.
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