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Deuteronomy Chapter
Nineteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 19
This
chapter contains an order to separate three cities of refuge in the land of
Canaan
for such that killed a man unawares to flee to
of which those who were
guilty of murder purposely were to have no benefit
Deuteronomy 19:1
a
law is given against removing landmarks
Deuteronomy 19:14
and others concerning witnesses
that they should be more than one; be two
or
three
Deuteronomy 19:15
and that a false witness
on conviction
should be punished
Deuteronomy 19:16.
Deuteronomy 19:1 “When the Lord your God has cut off the nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you
and you dispossess them and dwell in their
cities and in their houses
YLT
1`When Jehovah thy God doth
cut off the nations
whose land Jehovah thy God is giving to thee
and thou
hast succeeded them
and dwelt in their cities
and in their houses
When the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations whose land the Lord
thy God giveth thee
.... The seven nations of the land of Canaan
whose destruction
was of the Lord for their sins
and whose land was a gift of him that had a
right to dispose of it to the children of Israel; see Deuteronomy 12:29.
and thou succeedest them
and dwellest in their cities
and in
their houses; should possess their land in their stead
by virtue of the gift
of it to them by the Lord
and inhabit their cities and houses built by them.
Deuteronomy 19:2 2 you
shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
YLT
2three cities thou dost
separate for thee in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to
thee to possess it.
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
Deuteronomy 4:41
but these were to be in the midst of the land of Canaan; see Joshua 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.
Deuteronomy 19:3 3 You
shall prepare roads for yourself
and divide into three parts the territory of
your land which the Lord your God is giving you to
inherit
that any manslayer may flee there.
YLT
3Thou dost prepare for thee
the way
and hast divided into three parts the border of thy land which Jehovah
thy God doth cause thee to inherit
and it hath been for the fleeing thither of
every man-slayer.
Thou shalt prepare thee a way
.... A road
an highway
to those cities: on the first of Adar
or February
the magistrates used to
meet
and proclaimed
or ordered to be proclaimed
that the ways be repairedF18Misn.
Shekalim
c. 1. sect. 1.
particularly those leading to the cities of refuge;
which was done by making them smooth and plain
so that there was not an hill
or dale to be seen; and by building bridges over rivers and brooks
that he
might escape who had killed anyone through mistake
and not be hindered
lest
the avenger of blood should overtake him and kill himF19Maimon.
& Bartenora in ib. ; and therefore every obstruction was removed out of the
way
that there might be a clear course for him; and at the parting of ways
or
where two or more ways met
that he might not be at a loss one moment which way
to take
"refuge" was written
as Jarchi and other writers observe
upon posts or pillars erected for that purpose: See Gill on Numbers 35:6
and divide the coasts of thy land
which the Lord thy God giveth
thee to inherit
in three parts; in each of which was to be a city of
refuge
and those at an equal distance: so Jarchi observes
that this was done
that there might be from the beginning of the border (of the land) unto the
first city of the cities of refuge
according to the measure of a journey
that
there is from that to the second
and so from the second to the third
and so
from the third to the other border of the land of Israel: of the situation of
these cities
so as to answer to those on the other side Jordan; see Gill on Numbers 35:14
that every slayer may flee thither; to that which is nearest
and most convenient for him
that is
who had slain a man unawares
as follows.
Deuteronomy 19:4 4 “And
this is the case of the manslayer who flees there
that he may live:
Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally
not having hated him in time past—
YLT
4`And this [is] the matter
of the man-slayer who fleeth thither
and hath lived: He who smiteth his
neighbour unknowingly
and is not hating him heretofore
And this is the case of the slayer
which shall flee thither
that
he may live
.... It was not any slayer that might have protection in these
cities
but such who were thus and thus circumstanced
or whose case was as
follows:
whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly; without
intention
as the Targum of Jonathan
did not design it
but was done by him
unawares:
whom he hated not in time past; had never shown by words
or deeds that he had any hatred of him or enmity to him three days ago; so that
if there were no marks of hatred
or proofs of it three days before this
happened
it was reckoned an accidental thing
and not done on purpose
as this
phrase is usually interpreted; see Exodus 21:29.
Deuteronomy 19:5 5 as
when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber
and his
hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree
and the head slips from
the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of
these cities and live;
YLT
5even he who cometh in with
his neighbour into a forest to hew wood
and his hand hath driven with an axe
to cut the tree
and the iron hath slipped from the wood
and hath met his
neighbour
and he hath died -- he doth flee unto one of these cities
and hath
lived
As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood
.... A wood is
a place common to men
and cutting down wood a business which any man might do;
whereas a private place
where a man had no right to be
and doing what he had
no business with
rendered a case suspicious
and such a man was liable to be
taken up when any affair happened of the kind here spoken of; so the Jewish
writers observeF20Misn. Maccot
c. 2. sect. 2.
"a wood is a
public place for him that hurts and him that is hurt to enter there;'both had a
right to go thither
the one as well as the other
he to whom the accident
came
and he by whom it came; but they say
a court that belongs to a master of
a house (a private court) is excepted
where there is no power or liberty for
him that hurts or for him that is hurt to enter. Abba Saul says
What is hewing
wood? It is what a man has a right to do
or is in his power; it is what is
public and common
and not peculiar to any:
and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree; lifts up the
axe and is about to strike with it
in order to cut down the tree pitched upon
by him or by his neighbour
or both:
and the head slippeth from the halve; the head of
the axe from the handle of it:
or the iron from the woodF21הברזל מן העץ
"ferrum e ligno"
Pagninus
Montanus. ; the iron part of the axe
which is properly the head
from the wooden part
which is laid hold on by the
hand; and this not being well fastened
slips and falls off as the blow is
fetching
or the stroke just ready to be given:
and lighteth upon his neighbour
that he die; hits him in
some part as he stands by him
which proves fatal:
he shall flee unto one of these cities
and live; be safe and
secure from the avenger of blood; such an one might have the benefit of one of
these cities
for
for such they were designed: the rule with the Jews is
what
is done by way of descent (i.e. which comes down and lights upon a man
and is
not levelled against him
or thrown up at him) he is to be exiled (or to have
the benefit of a city of refuge)
but what is not by way of descent
he is not
to have it. Some think this is spoken of the wood which is cleaved
and not of
the wood in which the iron is fixed; but the wise men say it is to be so
understoodF24Misn. Maccot
c. 2. sect. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in
ib. ; in which they are right.
Deuteronomy 19:6 6 lest
the avenger of blood
while his anger is hot
pursue the manslayer and overtake
him
because the way is long
and kill him
though he was not deserving
of death
since he had not hated the victim in time past.
YLT
6lest the redeemer of blood
pursue after the man-slayer when his heart is hot
and hath overtaken him
(because the way is great)
and hath smitten him -- the life
and he hath no
sentence of death
for he is not hating him heretofore;
Lest the avenger of blood pursue the slayer
.... These
words are to be connected with Deuteronomy 19:3
where it is ordered to prepare the way to the cities of refuge
and to divide
the land into three parts
for the convenience of the slayer to flee thither
lest he that was next of kin
and incensed against the slayer
and determined
to avenge what was done
should pursue after him:
while his heart is hot; by reason of the loss of
his relation
upon which his passions being raised
his heart becomes inflamed
with wrath and anger; which pushes him upon an eager and hasty pursuit of the
slayer
before he sits down and coolly considers and deliberates on the affair:
and overtake him
because the way is long
and slay him; wherefore it
was proper that everything should be done to make the way to these cities as
easy and as short as it could be:
whereas he was not worthy of death; had not committed an
action deserving of it
it being done ignorantly and without notice
as
follows:
inasmuch as he hated him not in time past; See Gill on Deuteronomy 19:4.
Deuteronomy 19:7 7 Therefore
I command you
saying
‘You shall separate three cities for yourself.’
YLT
7therefore I am commanding
thee
saying
Three cities thou dost separate to thee.
Wherefore I command thee
saying
thou shalt separate three cities
for thee. This was to be done immediately
as soon as they were settled in
the land of Canaan
and established in the possession of it
the inhabitants
being cut off
or driven out
or however subdued.
Deuteronomy 19:8 8 “Now
if the Lord your God enlarges your territory
as He swore to your fathers
and
gives you the land which He promised to give to your fathers
YLT
8`And if Jehovah thy God
doth enlarge thy border
as He hath sworn to thy fathers
and hath given to
thee all the land which He hath spoken to give to thy fathers –
And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast
.... Extend it
further than it was upon their first settlement
even carry it as far as the
river Euphrates
as in the times of Solomon
1 Kings 4:21.
Jarchi interprets it of such an enlargement as to give them the land of the
Kenites
the Kenizzites and Kadmonites:
(as he hath sworn unto thy fathers)
and give thee all the land
which he promised to give unto thy
fathers: Abraham
Isaac
and
Jacob; see Genesis 15:19.
Deuteronomy 19:9 9 and
if you keep all these commandments and do them
which I command you today
to
love the Lord your God and to walk always in His ways
then you shall add three
more cities for yourself besides these three
YLT
9when thou keepest all this
command to do it
which I am commanding thee to-day
to love Jehovah thy God
and to walk in His ways all the days -- then thou hast added to thee yet three
cities to these three;
If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them
which I
command thee this day
.... A phrase often met with before
and signifies the putting in
practice the several laws
moral
ceremonial
and judicial
which Moses was now
making a repetition of
and enjoining the observance of them by a divine
authority:
to love the Lord thy God; which is the source and
spring of genuine obedience to the commands of God:
and to walk ever in his ways; noting constancy and
perseverance in them; now all this is mentioned as the condition of the
enlargement of their coast
which would be the case if a due and constant
regard was had to the laws of God:
and then shall thou add three cities more besides these three; three more in
the land of Canaan
besides the three now ordered to be separated in it
and
besides the three on the other side of Jordan; so that there would have been
nine in all
if these had been ever added; but that time never came: the Jews
expect the addition of these three cities in the days of the MessiahF25Maimon.
Hilchot Rotzeach
c. 8. sect. 4. but the Messiah is already come
and all those
cities
as they were typical of him
have had their accomplishment in him the
antitype of them
of which See Gill on Numbers 35:29.
Deuteronomy 19:10 10 lest
innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance
and thus
guilt of bloodshed be upon you.
YLT
10and innocent blood is not
shed in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- an
inheritance
and there hath been upon thee blood.
That innocent blood be not shed
.... As it would be if
such a slayer as before described was killed by the avenger of blood
before he
could get to one of these cities of refuge
or supposing that they had not bean
appointed
or a sufficient number of them:
which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance; to be enjoyed
by them and their children after them
provided they did not defile it by their
sins
but observed the commands of the Lord to obey them and
so blood be upon thee; the guilt of innocent
blood crying for vengeance
as would be the case if such a man's blood was shed
as before described; it seems as if the guilt would rather affect the whole
land
for not having a proper provision of "asylums" for such
persons
than the avenger of blood.
Deuteronomy 19:11 11 “But
if anyone hates his neighbor
lies in wait for him
rises against him and
strikes him mortally
so that he dies
and he flees to one of these cities
YLT
11`And when a man is hating
his neighbour
and hath lain in wait for him
and risen against him
and
smitten him -- the life
and he hath died
and he hath fled unto one of these
cities
But if any man hate his neighbour
.... Has conceived enmity
in his heart against him
bears him a mortal hatred
and has formed a scheme in
his mind to take away his life:
and lie in wait for him knowing and expecting he
will come by in such a way at such a time:
and rise up against him; out of the place where
he lay in wait
just at the time he is passing by:
and smite him mortally that he die; or smite him
in soul or lifeF26נפש
"anima"
Montanus
Vatablus. ; in such a part where
life is in danger
and the consequence of it is that he dies:
and fleeth into one of these cities; for shelter from the
avenger of blood.
Deuteronomy 19:12 12 then
the elders of his city shall send and bring him from there
and deliver him
over to the hand of the avenger of blood
that he may die.
YLT
12then the elders of his city
have sent and taken him from thence
and given him into the hand of the
redeemer of blood
and he hath died;
Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence
.... The
Targum of Jonathan is
"the wise men of his city
'the sanhedrim
or court
of judicature
or at least the civil magistrates of that city
to which such a
murderer belonged
had a power to send to the city of refuge whither he was
fled
and demand the delivering of him up to them
that his case might be tried
before them
and it might appear whether he was a proper person to receive the
benefit of the city of refuge or not
and if not
to pass sentence of death
upon him
and see it executed as follows:
and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood
that he may
die; that is
after the examination and trial of him
and when he is
found guilty
and sentence is passed upon him
then he was to be delivered into
the hands of the avenger of blood
to be the executioner of that sentence.
Deuteronomy 19:13 13 Your
eye shall not pity him
but you shall put away the guilt of innocent
blood from Israel
that it may go well with you.
YLT
13thine eye hath no pity on
him
and thou hast put away the innocent blood from Israel
and it is well with
thee.
Thine eye shall not pity him
.... This is not said to
the avenger of blood
who is not to be supposed to have any pity or compassion
on such a person
but to the elders
judges
and civil magistrates of the city
to which he belonged
who took cognizance of his case; these were to show him
no favour on account of his being a citizen
a neighbour
a relation or friend
or a rich man
or on any account whatever; but without favour or affection were
to judge him and put him to death as a murderer; see Numbers 35:21
but thou shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel; by which they
would be defiled
and be liable to punishment for it; see Numbers 35:33
the
Targum of Jonathan is
"shall put away those that shed innocent blood out
of Israel;'put them away by death:
that it may go well with thee; with the whole land and
its inhabitants
and with the city particularly
and the magistrates
and men
of it
to which the murderer condemned to death belonged
being continued in
the enjoyment of all temporal blessings and mercies.
Deuteronomy 19:14 14 “You
shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark
which the men of old have set
in
your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
YLT
14`Thou dost not remove a
border of thy neighbour
which they of former times have made
in thine
inheritance
which thou dost inherit in the land which Jehovah thy God is
giving to thee to possess it.
Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark
.... By which
one man's land is distinguished from another; for so to do is to injure a man's
property
and alienate his lands to the use of another
which must be a very
great evil
and render those that do it obnoxious to a curse
Deuteronomy 27:17.
which they of old have set in thine inheritance
which thou shall
inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it; the land of
Canaan: this is thought to refer to the bounds and limits set in the land by
Eleazar and Joshua
and those concerned with them at the division of it; when
not only the tribes were bounded; and distinguished by certain marks
but every
man's estate
and the possession of every family in every tribe which though
not as yet done when this law was made
yet
as it respects future times
might
be said to be done of old
whenever there was any transgression of it
which it
cannot be supposed would be very quickly done; and it is a law not only binding
on the inhabitants of the land of Canaan
but all others
it being agreeably to
the light and law of nature
and which was regarded among the Heathens
Proverbs 22:28.
Deuteronomy 19:15 15 “One
witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he
commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
YLT
15`One witness doth not rise
against a man for any iniquity
and for any sin
in any sin which he sinneth;
by the mouth of two witnesses
or by the mouth of three witnesses
is a thing
established.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity
or
for any sin
in any sin that he sinneth
.... Whether capital
sins
or pecuniary debts; or whatsoever sins a man may be guilty of whether
sins against the first or second table of the law
whether greater or lesser
sins
whether in moral or civil things; the Jews except only in the case of a
woman suspected of adultery and of beheading the heifer:
at the mouth of two witnesses
or at the mouth of three witnesses
shall the matter be established; either for acquittance or condemnation; and
the witnesses may not
as Jarchi says
write their testimony in a letter
and
send it to the sanhedrim
nor may an interpreter stand between the witnesses
and the judges; See Gill on Deuteronomy 17:6.
Deuteronomy 19:16 16 If
a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing
YLT
16`When a violent witness
doth rise against a man
to testify against him apostacy
If a false witness rise up against any man
.... In a
court of judicature:
to testify against him: that which is not true
of him
let it be in what case it will; Aben Ezra instances in idolatry
but it
holds good of any other.
Deuteronomy 19:17 17 then
both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord
before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.
YLT
17then have both the men who
have the strife stood before Jehovah
before the priests and the judges who are
in those days
Then both the men between whom the controversy is
.... The man
that bears the false witness
and the man against whom it is borne:
shall stand before the Lord; as in the presence of
him
the omniscient God
and as represented by judges and civil magistrates
whose vicegerents they are; so it seems to be explained in the next words
which are exegetical of these:
before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days; which shall
compose the sanhedrim
or court of judicature; and this seems to confirm it
that by priest and judge
in Deuteronomy 17:9
are meant priests and judges; Jarchi says
this Scripture speaks of witnesses
that is
of the false witness that testifies wrong against a man
and another
that contradicts his testimony
and teaches that there is no witness by women;
and so it is elsewhere saidF1Misn. Shebuot
c. 4. sect. 1.
an oath
of witness is made by men
and not by women; on which it is observedF2Bartenora
in ib. that a woman is not fit to bear witness
as it is written:
then both the men
.... men and not women; and the above writer
remarks further
that it teaches that they ought to bear testimony standing.
Deuteronomy 19:18 18 And
the judges shall make careful inquiry
and indeed
if the witness is
a false witness
who has testified falsely against his brother
YLT
18and the judges have
searched diligently
and lo
the witness [is] a false witness
a falsehood he
hath testified against his brother:
And the judges shall make diligent inquisition
.... Into the
case before them
into the nature of the evidence and proof that each witness
brings for or against; so the Targum of Jonathan
"the judges shall
interrogate the witness
by whom these things are said
well;'shall thoroughly
examine the testimony given
and look carefully into it:
and
behold
if the witness be a false witness
and hath testified
falsely against his brother; it appears plainly by full evidence that he
has testified a falsehood of him.
Deuteronomy 19:19 19 then
you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put
away the evil from among you.
YLT
19`Then ye have done to him
as he devised to do to his brother
and thou hast put away the evil thing out
of thy midst
Then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his
brother
.... Inflict the same fine or punishment on him he thought to
have brought his brother under by his false testimony of him; whether any
pecuniary fine
or whipping and scourging
or the loss of a member
or the
value of it
or death itself; whether stoning
strangling
burning
or killing
with the sword: though
in the case of accusing a priest's daughter of
adultery
as Jarchi observes
such were not to be burnt
as would have been her
case if proved
but strangled:
so shalt thou put the evil away from among you; the evil man
that bears a false testimony of his brother
or the guilt of sin which would be
incurred by conniving at him.
Deuteronomy 19:20 20 And
those who remain shall hear and fear
and hereafter they shall not again commit
such evil among you.
YLT
20and those who are left do
hear and fear
and add not to do any more according to this evil thing in thy
midst;
And those which remain shall hear
and fear
.... Those
which survive the false witness shall hear of the punishment inflicted on him
and fear to commit the like sin
lest they should be punished in like manner.
Deuteronomy 19:21 21 Your
eye shall not pity: life shall be for life
eye for eye
tooth for
tooth
hand for hand
foot for foot.
YLT
21and thine eye doth not pity
-- life for life
eye for eye
tooth for tooth
hand for hand
foot for foot.
And thine eye shall not pity
.... The false witness
when convicted; this is directed to the judges
who should not spare such an
one through favour or affection
but pronounce a righteous sentence on him
and
see it executed
in proportion to the crime
and that according to the law of
retaliation:
but life shall go for life; in such a case where the
life of a person must have gone
if the falsehood of the testimony had not been
discovered
the false witness must suffer death; in other cases
where a member
would have been lost
or the price of it paid for
the same penalty was to be
inflicted:
eye for eye
tooth for tooth
hand for hand
foot for foot; that is
the
price of an eye an eye
&c. see Exodus 21:23.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》