Deuteronomy 19:3
in Deuteronomy 19You are to build roads for yourselves and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 19
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThou shalt prepare thee a way - The Jews inform us that the roads to the cities of refuge were made very broad, thirty-two cubits; and even, so that there should be no impediments in the way; and were constantly kept in good repair.
This site's exposition
When the LORD your God has cut off the nations
on Deuteronomy 19:1-7
Numbers 35:9-15 had already set these cities apart. This chapter adds the roads, with the land divided in three so that distance never decides a case. Verse 6 gives the reason, that the avenger might overtake the manslayer “if the distance is great”.
This site's exposition
You are to build roads
Adam Clarke reports the Jewish tradition that these roads were made thirty-two cubits wide, level, cleared of every obstacle and kept in constant repair. The land was divided into three regions so that no manslayer had a great distance to flee. Every region had its city.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thou shalt prepare thee a way,....
Thus Christ is not a refuge at a distance, which we must ascend to heaven or go down to the deep for, but the word is nigh us, and Christ in the word, Rom. x. The gospel brings salvation to our door, and there it knocks for admission.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The privilege of sanctuary cities, however, was given only for Israelites; and besides, that conquered territory did not remain long under the power of the Hebrew kings. THE LANDMARK IS NOT TO BE REMOVED.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| תָּכִ֣ין | takhin | you will establish | H3559 → | 217 times |
| לְךָ֮ | lekha | for <the> yourself | ||
| הַדֶּרֶךְ֒ | haderekh | the journey | H1870 → | 707 times |
| וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ֙ | veshilashta | and you will divide into three | H8027 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| גְּב֣וּל | gevul | [the] territory of | H1366 → | 240 times |
| אַרְצְךָ֔ | ʾartzekha | land your | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַנְחִֽילְךָ֖ | yanchilekha | he will give as an inheritance you | H5157 → | 59 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְהָיָ֕ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָנ֥וּס | lanus | to flee | H5127 → | 159 times |
| שָׁ֖מָּה | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| רֹצֵֽחַ׃ | rotzeach | killer | H7523 → | 47 times |
תָּכִ֣יןyou will establish
takhinH3559 →217 times
לְךָ֮for <the> yourself
lekha
הַדֶּרֶךְ֒the journey
haderekhH1870 →707 times
וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ֙and you will divide into three
veshilashtaH8027 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
גְּב֣וּל[the] territory of
gevulH1366 →240 times
אַרְצְךָ֔land your
ʾartzekhaH776 →2504 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יַנְחִֽילְךָ֖he will give as an inheritance you
yanchilekhaH5157 →59 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
וְהָיָ֕הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
לָנ֥וּסto flee
lanusH5127 →159 times
שָׁ֖מָּהthere towards
shamahH8033 →834 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
רֹצֵֽחַ׃killer
rotzeachH7523 →47 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
Isaiah 35:8And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it.
it leads to
- Matthew 7:13–14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
- Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These…
- John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- 1 Peter 1:14–15
As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
- Revelation 21:27
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
- Matthew 7:13–14
Through
Isaiah 62:10Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!
it leads to
- Isaiah 40:3
A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 40:3
Through
Isaiah 57:14And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 62:10
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!
- Isaiah 62:10
Through
Hebrews 12:13Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
it leads to
- Proverbs 4:26–27
Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
- Proverbs 4:26–27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.