Deuteronomy 19:4
in Deuteronomy 19Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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;
KJV
And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
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This verse in Deuteronomy 19
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
hath cut off the nations
on Deuteronomy 19:1-7
Numbers 35:9-15 and Exodus 21:13 had already set these cities apart, and what this chapter adds is the road: thou shalt prepare thee a way, with the land divided into three parts so that distance never decides a case. Verse 6 gives the reason plainly, that the avenger overtakes the slayer while his heart is hot because the way is long. The statute then works one example at length, an axe head flying off the helve in the wood, and no other case here is given that much room. Numbers 35:25 holds the manslayer in the city until the death of the high priest, a clause this retelling does not repeat.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live,....
(3.) It is provided that, if an avenger of blood should be so unreasonable as to demand satisfaction for blood shed by accident only, then the city of refuge should protect the slayer. Sins of ignorance indeed do expose us to the wrath of God, but there is relief provided, if by faith and repentance we make use of it.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְזֶה֙ | vezeh | and this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| דְּבַ֣ר | devar | [will be] [the] case of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הָרֹצֵ֔חַ | harotzeach | the killer | H7523 → | 47 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יָנ֥וּס | yanus | he will flee | H5127 → | 159 times |
| שָׁ֖מָּה | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וָחָ֑י | vachai | and he will live | H2421 → | 282 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַכֶּ֤ה | yakeh | he will strike | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ | reehu | companion his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| בִּבְלִי־ | bivli- | with not | H1097 → | 58 times |
| דַ֔עַת | daat | knowledge | H1847 → | |
| וְה֛וּא | vehu' | and he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שֹׂנֵ֥א | sone' | [was] hating | H8130 → | 146 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | <to> <the> him | ||
| מִתְּמֹ֥ל | mitemol | from yesterday | H8543 → | 23 times |
| שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃ | shilshom | [the] third day | H8032 → | 24 times |
וְזֶה֙and this
vezehH2088 →1180 times
דְּבַ֣ר[will be] [the] case of
devarH1697 →1440 times
הָרֹצֵ֔חַthe killer
harotzeachH7523 →47 times
אֲשֶׁר־who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יָנ֥וּסhe will flee
yanusH5127 →159 times
שָׁ֖מָּהthere towards
shamahH8033 →834 times
וָחָ֑יand he will live
vachaiH2421 →282 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יַכֶּ֤הhe will strike
yakehH5221 →499 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙companion his
reehuH7453 →188 times
בִּבְלִי־with not
bivli-H1097 →58 times
דַ֔עַתknowledge
daatH1847 →
וְה֛וּאand he
vehu'H1931 →1879 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
שֹׂנֵ֥א[was] hating
sone'H8130 →146 times
ל֖וֹ<to> <the> him
lo
מִתְּמֹ֥לfrom yesterday
mitemolH8543 →23 times
שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃[the] third day
shilshomH8032 →24 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Chronicles 11:2Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 5:2
Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel,…
- John 10:4
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
- Psalms 78:71
from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.
- 1 Samuel 18:13
Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,
- 1 Samuel 16:13
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and…
- 2 Samuel 5:2
Through
Joshua 3:4But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this…
it leads to
- Psalms 89:7
In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared, and awesome above all who surround Him.
- Psalms 89:7
Through
Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not…
it leads to
- Numbers 35:12
You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
- Numbers 35:12
Through
Deuteronomy 4:42to which a manslayer could flee after killing his neighbor unintentionally without prior malice. To save one’s own life, he could flee to one of these cities:
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 19:1–10
When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,
- Deuteronomy 19:1–10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.