Deuteronomy 19:5
in Deuteronomy 19If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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:
KJV
As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour 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 neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
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This verse in Deuteronomy 19
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe very words of Scripture indicate that even ignorance is a sin. This is why Job offers holocausts for his sons, lest perchance they may have sinned unwittingly in thought. And if a man is killed by the iron of an axe that flies off the handle when a man is hewing wood, the wood hewer is ordered to flee to a city of refuge and remain in that place until the death of the high priest.
This 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 Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistThe Book of Pastoral Rule, Part 2, Chapter 10 · Written before 604.
proposed
For indeed we go with a friend into the wood as often as we betake ourselves to look into the delinquencies of subordinates. And we hew wood in simplicity of heart, when with pious intention we cut off the vices of delinquents. But the axe flies from the hand, when rebuke is drawn on to asperity more than need requires. And the iron leaps from the helve, when out of reproof issues speech too hard. And he smites and slays his friend, because overstrained contumely cuts him off from the spirit of love. For the mind of one who is reproved suddenly breaks out into hatred, if immoderate reproof charges it beyond its due. But he who smites wood incautiously and destroys his neighbour must needs fly to three cities, that in one of them he may live protected; since if, betaking himself to the laments of penitence, he is hidden under hope and charity in sacramental unity, he is not held guilty of the perpetrated homicide.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood,....
(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
27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲשֶׁר֩ | vaasher | and who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יָבֹ֨א | yavo' | he will go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| רֵעֵ֥הוּ | reehu | companion his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| בַיַּעַר֮ | vaiyaar | in the forest | H3293 → | |
| לַחְטֹ֣ב | lachto | to cut | H2404 → | |
| עֵצִים֒ | ʾetzim | wood<s> | H6086 → | 328 times |
| וְנִדְּחָ֨ה | venidechah | and it will be impelled | H5080 → | 55 times |
| יָד֤וֹ | yado | hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בַגַּרְזֶן֙ | vagarzen | by the axe | H1631 → | |
| לִכְרֹ֣ת | likhrot | to cut down | H3772 → | 288 times |
| הָעֵ֔ץ | haetz | the tree | H6086 → | 328 times |
| וְנָשַׁ֤ל | venashal | and it will slip off | H5394 → | 7 times |
| הַבַּרְזֶל֙ | habarzel | the iron | H1270 → | 76 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָעֵ֔ץ | haetz | the tree | H6086 → | 328 times |
| וּמָצָ֥א | umatza' | and it will find | H4672 → | 455 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֵעֵ֖הוּ | reehu | companion his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| וָמֵ֑ת | vamet | and he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| ה֗וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יָנ֛וּס | yanus | he will flee | H5127 → | 159 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַחַ֥ת | ʾachat | one of | H259 → | 971 times |
| הֶעָרִים־ | hearim- | the cities | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הָאֵ֖לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| וָחָֽי׃ | vachai | and he will live | H2421 → | 282 times |
וַאֲשֶׁר֩and who
vaasherH834 →5497 times
יָבֹ֨אhe will go
yavo'H935 →2568 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
רֵעֵ֥הוּcompanion his
reehuH7453 →188 times
בַיַּעַר֮in the forest
vaiyaarH3293 →
לַחְטֹ֣בto cut
lachtoH2404 →
עֵצִים֒wood<s>
ʾetzimH6086 →328 times
וְנִדְּחָ֨הand it will be impelled
venidechahH5080 →55 times
יָד֤וֹhand his
yadoH3027 →1618 times
בַגַּרְזֶן֙by the axe
vagarzenH1631 →
לִכְרֹ֣תto cut down
likhrotH3772 →288 times
הָעֵ֔ץthe tree
haetzH6086 →328 times
וְנָשַׁ֤לand it will slip off
venashalH5394 →7 times
הַבַּרְזֶל֙the iron
habarzelH1270 →76 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָעֵ֔ץthe tree
haetzH6086 →328 times
וּמָצָ֥אand it will find
umatza'H4672 →455 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֵעֵ֖הוּcompanion his
reehuH7453 →188 times
וָמֵ֑תand he will die
vametH4191 →839 times
ה֗וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יָנ֛וּסhe will flee
yanusH5127 →159 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַחַ֥תone of
ʾachatH259 →971 times
הֶעָרִים־the cities
hearim-H5892 →1090 times
הָאֵ֖לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
וָחָֽי׃and he will live
vachaiH2421 →282 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
Proverbs 27:12The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
it leads to
- Proverbs 22:3
The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
- Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
- Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes…
- Proverbs 22:3
Through
Isaiah 32:2Each will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry land, like the shadow of a great rock in an arid land.
it leads to
- Isaiah 25:4
For You have been a refuge for the poor, a stronghold for the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like…
- Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of…
- Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
- Isaiah 25:4
Through
Numbers 35:25The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live…
it leads to
- Exodus 29:7
Then take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.
- Leviticus 21:10
The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose…
- Exodus 29:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Gregory the Dialogist, The Book of Pastoral Rule, Part 2, Chapter 10; Jerome, Against the Pelagians 1.33; 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.