you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess. You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there. This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past— as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live. Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past. Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves. If Yahweh your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers; and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three. This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you.
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Deuteronomy 19:2-10 sits inside this longer paragraph.
When Yahweh your God cuts off the nations whose land Yahweh your God gives you, and you succeed them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess. You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there. This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past— as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live. Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past. Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves. If Yahweh your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers; and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three. This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you. But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities; then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.
Parallel Translations
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you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess.
You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there.
This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past—
as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live.
Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past.
Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves.
If Yahweh your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers;
and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three.
This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you.
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Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
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.
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;
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:
Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
Show all 3 translations
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thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee to possess it.
Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which the LORD thy God causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither.
And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in time past;
as when a man goeth into the forest 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 these cities and live;
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 deserving of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
Wherefore I command thee, saying: 'Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.'
And if the LORD 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 —
if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in His ways — then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three;
that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Commandments (1)
The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.
Cross-references (49)
- Numbers 35:15-24 (v4) For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the foreigner living among them, shall these six cities be for refuge, that…
- Exodus 21:13 (v2) but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.
- Joshua 20:7-8 (v9) They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (also called…
- Proverbs 6:17 (v10) arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
- Isaiah 59:7 (v10) Their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Desolation and destruction are in…
Show all 49 cross-references
- Genesis 15:18-21 (v8) In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of Egypt to the great…
- Exodus 23:31 (v8) I will set your border from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will deliver the…
- Exodus 34:24 (v8) For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before…
- Numbers 35:10-15 (v2) “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall appoint for…
- Numbers 35:12 (v6) The cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.
- Deuteronomy 4:41-43 (v2) Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, that the man slayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor…
- Deuteronomy 4:42 (v4) that the man slayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally and didn’t hate him in time past, and that fleeing to one of…
- Deuteronomy 11:22-25 (v9) For if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you—to do them, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways,…
- Deuteronomy 12:20 (v8) When Yahweh your God enlarges your border, as he has promised you, and you say, “I want to eat meat,” because your soul desires to eat…
- Deuteronomy 12:32 (v9) Whatever thing I command you, that you shall observe to do. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.
- Joshua 20:2-7 (v2) “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses, that the man slayer who kills any…
- Matthew 27:4-5 (v10) saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.” He threw down the pieces of…
- Hebrews 6:18 (v2) that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to…
- Genesis 28:14 (v8) Your offspring will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the…
- Genesis 31:2 (v4) Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
- Numbers 35:25 (v5) The congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city…
- Numbers 35:33 (v10) “ ‘So you shall not pollute the land where you live; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that…
- Deuteronomy 11:24-25 (v8) Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates,…
- Deuteronomy 19:6 (v4) Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and…
- Deuteronomy 19:13 (v10) Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.
- Deuteronomy 21:1-9 (v10) If someone is found slain in the land which Yahweh your God gives you to possess, lying in the field, and it isn’t known who has struck…
- Joshua 3:4 (v4) Yet there shall be a space between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measure—don’t come closer to it—that you may know the way by…
- 1 Kings 2:31 (v10) The king said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause,…
- 1 Kings 4:21 (v8) Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and…
- 2 Kings 6:5-7 (v5) But as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. Then he cried, and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.” The…
- 2 Kings 21:16 (v10) Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; in addition to his sin with which…
- 2 Kings 24:4 (v10) and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Yahweh would not pardon.
- 1 Chronicles 11:2 (v4) In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd…
- Ezra 4:20 (v8) There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was…
- Proverbs 27:12 (v5) A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
- Isaiah 30:33 (v4) For his burning place has long been ready. Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made its pyre deep and large with fire and much wood.…
- Isaiah 32:2 (v5) A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the storm, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a large…
- Isaiah 57:14 (v3) He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”
- Jeremiah 7:6-7 (v10) if you don’t oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, and don’t shed innocent blood in this place, and don’t walk after other…
- Joel 3:19 (v10) Egypt will be a desolation, and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed…
- Jonah 1:14 (v10) Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us…
- Deuteronomy 21:22 (v6) If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
- Joshua 20:5 (v6) If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor…
- 2 Samuel 14:7 (v6) Behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the…
- Psalms 94:21 (v10) They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
- Isaiah 35:8 (v3) A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who…
- Isaiah 62:10 (v3) Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way of the people! Build up, build up the highway! Gather out the stones! Lift up a banner…
- Jeremiah 26:15-16 (v6) Only know for certain that, if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for…
- Hebrews 12:13 (v3) and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv3, 5, 6, 8, 10 Make an open and ready way.
Make an open and ready way.
Which killeth against his will, and bare no hatred in his heart.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv3, 4, 5, 6, 8 Deu 19:3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and…
Deu 19:3 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.
Ver. 3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way.] A direct, plain, fair highway: such a way must ministers prepare and pave for their people to Christ, the true asylum, by giving them "the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins." {Luk 1:76-77}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 6, 8 In the midst of thy land, to wit, beyond…
In the midst of thy land, to wit, beyond Jordan, as there were three already appointed on this side Jordan, Num 35:14. He saith, in the midst of the land, either for in the land, as in the midst of the city, Jer 52:25, is the same with that in the city, 2Ki 25:19, or to design the places, that they should be situated in the midst of the several parts of their land, to which they might conveniently and speedily flee from all the parts of the land.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–10 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the…
Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land,.... From the cities they took possession of and dwelt in; and indeed from the cities of the Levites, which were given to them to inhabit; three were before ordered to be separated from those inhabited by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, Deu 4:41 but these were to be in the midst of the land of Canaan; see Jos 20:7,
which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it: which as it is often mentioned when this land is spoken of, so it carries in it a reason here why this order of the Lord's should be readily complied with, the whole land and all the cities of it being the gift of his to them.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 8, 9 In the midst of the land - Namely, beyond…
In the midst of the land - Namely, beyond Jordan, as there were three already appointed on this side Jordan: In the midst of the several parts of their land, to which they might speedily flee from all the parts of the land.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 9 Verse 2. Thou shalt separate three cities] See Clarke…
Verse 2. Thou shalt separate three cities] See Clarke on Nu 35:11, &c.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 8 Deu 19:2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee…
Deu 19:2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee — There were to be six cities of refuge in all, but Moses had already appointed three on that side of Jordan where they now were. See Num 35:14-15;
Deu 4:41. In the midst of thy land — That is, in the midst of the several parts or districts of thy land, or within thy land; for had they been all three in the very heart of the country, the very intention of them would have been counteracted: which was, that they should be so conveniently placed in several parts of the country, that men might easily and speedily flee to them.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 6, 7, 8 Cities. These were Hebron, Sichem, and Cades, on the…
Cities. These were Hebron, Sichem, and Cades, on the west side of the Jordan, Josue xx. 7. Those on the east were already appointed, chap. iv. 41. Three others might also have been added, (ver. 8.; Calmet) in case the Hebrews had gotten full possession of the countries as far as the Euphrates. (Haydock) --- The cities of refuge were not above forty-five miles distant from each other, in the land of Chanaan. Those in Galaad were not so far off, as the territory was smaller. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv3, 6, 8 Thou shalt prepare thee a way--The roads leading to…
Thou shalt prepare thee a way--The roads leading to them were to be kept in good condition and the brooks or rivers to be spanned by good bridges; the width of the roads was to be thirty-two cubits; and at all the crossroads signposts were to be erected with the words, Mekeleth, Mekeleth, "refuge, refuge," painted on them.
divide the coasts of thy land . . . into three parts--the whole extent of the country from the south to the north. The three cities on each side of Jordan were opposite to each other, "as two rows of vines in a vineyard" (see on Jos 20:7).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv3, 8 3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way — The…
3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way — The sentence might read, prepare the road. This was understood to be a direction to have the roads leading to the cities of refuge kept in order. The hills were to be levelled; the streams were to be bridged; the road was to be thirty-two cubits broad.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–10 2. separate] set apart, Deu_4:41.
2. separate] set apart, Deu_4:41.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv3, 4, 8, 10 Thou shalt prepare thee a way. In the East,…
Thou shalt prepare thee a way. In the East, the roads were for the most part mere tracks made by the feet of animals used as beasts of burden or for traveling; and this continues to be the case in Palestine and many other parts of the East even at the present day. That roads, however, properly so called, were not unknown to the Hebrews, even in early times, is evident, not only from this passage, but also from Lev_26:22; Num_20:17 Num_21:22; Deu_2:27; 1Sa_6:12. The design of the injunction here was that every facility should be afforded to the fugitive to escape to the place of refuge. In later times, it was enacted that the roads leading to these cities should be repaired every year in the month Adar, and every obstruction removed.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v6 Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield "Isa 59:20").
avenger
Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield "Isa 59:20").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv4, 6, 8 This is the law
This is the law
"These are the instructions" or "These are the directions"
Read full note →
for the one who kills another
The word "person" is understood. AT: "for a person who kills another person" (See: Ellipsis)
who flees there
"and who escapes to one of these cities" or "who runs to one of these cities"
to live
"to save his own life." The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "so the family of the man who died does not kill him to get revenge" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
anyone who kills his neighbor unintentionally
Here "neighbor" means any person in general. AT: "any person who kills another person by accident"
and did not previously hate him
"but did not hate his neighbor before he killed him." This implies there was no cause for him to kill his neighbor purposely. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
For example, if a man goes into the forest ... to cut wood
The author gives a hypothetical situation where a person accidentally kills another person. (See: Hypothetical Situations)
the ax head slips off of the handle
The iron part of the ax comes off the wooden handle.
strikes his neighbor and kills him
This means the head of the ax hits and kills the neighbor.
to one of these cities and save his life
It is implied that the family of the dead man may try to get revenge. The man who killed him can flee to one of these cities, and the people there would protect him. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
law, laws
life
neighbor
ax
die
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv2, 4, 6, 9 19:2 The three cities were those in Canaan, west…
19:2 The three cities were those in Canaan, west of the Jordan; there were three more in Transjordan (see Num 35:13-14; Josh 20:7).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.