Deuteronomychapter 19

21 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 127 cross-references outward and receives 124 — heaviest partner: Deuteronomy.

Chapter summary

Cities of refuge in the land; the landmark; the false witness. Three cities within the land on this side of Jordan (with three more if the LORD enlarges the coast). The manslayer with unintentional death flees there; the avenger of blood will not prevail; the high priest's death ends the refuge. The deliberate murderer, though he flee, is fetched thence and given to the avenger's hand. ‘Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark’. A false witness must bear the penalty he sought to bring on the accused — ‘eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot’.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Deuteronomy overview for the book's full setting.

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: