Deuteronomy 19 - Introduction

1 The Cities of refuge.

4 The priuiledge thereof for the manslayer.

14 The land-marke is not to be remooued.

15 Two witnesses at the least.

16 The punishment of a false witnesse.

1 When the Lord thy God [Note: Deuteronomy 12:29.] hath cut off the nations, whose lande the Lord thy God giueth thee, and thou [Note: Hebrew: inheritest, or possessest.] succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses:

2 [Note: Exodus 21:13; Numbers 35:10; Joshua 20:2.] Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.

3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and diuide the coasts of thy land (which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherit) into three parts, that euery slayer may flee thither.

4 And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither, that hee may liue: who so killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not [Note: Hebrew: from yesterday the third day.] in time past,

5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor, to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut downe the tree, and the [Note: Hebrew: yron.] head slippeth from the [Note: Hebrew: wood.] helue, and [Note: Hebrew: findeth.] lighteth vpon his neighbour that he die, he shall flee vnto one of those cities, and liue:

6 Lest the auenger of the blood pursue the slaier, while his heart is hot, and ouertake him, because the way is long, and [Note: Hebrew: smite him in life.] slay him, whereas he was not worthy of death, in as much as hee hated him not [Note: Hebrew: from yesterday, third day.] in time past.

7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

8 And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast (as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers) and giue thee all the lande which hee promised to giue vnto thy fathers:

9 (If thou shalt [Note: Deuteronomy 12:20.] keepe all these commandements to doe them, which I command thee this day, to loue the Lord thy God, and to walke euer in his wayes) [Note: Joshua 20:7.] then shalt thou adde three cities moe for thee, beside these three:

10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the Lord thy God

[A false witnesse.]

giueth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be vpon thee.

11 But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him, and rise vp against him, and smite him [Note: Hebrew: in life.] mortally that hee die, and fleeth into one of these Cities:

12 Then the Elders of his citie shall send and fetch him thence, and deliuer him into the hand of the auenger of blood, that he may die.

13 Thine eye shall not pittie him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may goe wel with thee.

14 Thou shalt not remooue thy neighbours land-marke, which they of old time haue set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherite, in the land that the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.

15 [Note: Deuteronomy 17:6; Hebrews 10:28; Numbers 35:30; Matthew 18:16; John 8:17; 2 Corinthians 13:1; Hebrews 10:28.] One witnesse shall not rise vp against a man for any iniquitie, or for any sinne, in any sinne that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be stablished.

16 If a false witnes rise vp against any man to testifie [Note: Or, falling away.] against him that which is wrong:

17 Then both the men betweene whom the controuersie is, shall stand before the Lord, before the Priests, and the Iudges, which shall be in those dayes.

18 And the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition: and behold, if the witnesse be a false witnesse, and hath testified falsly against his brother:

19 [Note: Proverbs 19:5; Proverbs 19:9; Daniel 13:62.] Then shall ye doe vnto him, as he had thought to haue done vnto his brother: so shalt thou put the euil away from among you.

20 And those which remaine shall heare, and feare, and shall hencefoorth commit no more any such euill among you.

21 And thine eye shall not pitie, but [Note: Exodus 21:23; Leviticus 24:20; Matthew 5:38.] life shall goe for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.