Deuteronomy 19 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Statutes About Cities of Refuge

(Num 35:9–28; Jos 20:1–9 )

“When^H3588 Yahweh^H3068 your God^H430 cuts^H3772 off^H3772 the nations^H1471, whose^H834 land^H776 Yahweh^H3068 your God^H430 gives^H5414 you, and you dispossess^H3423 them and settle^H3427 in their cities^H5892 and in their houses^H1004,

Deu 19:2

Deu 19:2you shall set apart three cities for yourself in the midst of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to [fn]possess.

Deu 19:3

Deu 19:3“You shall prepare the [fn]roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which Yahweh your God will give you to inherit, [fn]so that any manslayer may flee there.

Deu 19:4

“Now this^H2088 is the case^H1697 of the manslayer^H7523 who^H834 may flee^H5127 there^H8033 and live^H2421: when^H834 he strikes^H5221 down^H5221 his friend^H7453 [fn]without premeditation^H1847^H1097, [fn]not hating^H8130 him previously^H8543^H8032—

Deu 19:5

Deu 19:5as when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand [fn]swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the [fn]handle and [fn]strikes his friend so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live;

Deu 19:6

Deu 19:6lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer when his heart is [fn]angry, and overtake him, because the way is long, and [fn]strike down his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously.

Deu 19:7

Deu 19:7“Therefore, I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall set apart three cities for yourself.’

Deu 19:8

“Now if^H518 Yahweh^H3068 your God^H430 enlarges^H7337 your territory^H1366, just^H834 as He has sworn^H7650 to your fathers^H1, and gives^H5414 you all^H3605 the land^H776 which^H834 He [fn]promised^H1696 to give^H5414 to your fathers^H1—

Deu 19:9

Deu 19:9if you [fn]be careful to do all this commandment which I am commanding you today, to love Yahweh your God and to walk in His ways all your days—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

Deu 19:10

Deu 19:10“So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land which Yahweh your God gives you as an inheritance, and bloodguiltiness be on you.

Deu 19:11

“But if^H3588 there is a man^H376 who hates^H8130 his neighbor^H7453 and lies^H693 in^H693 wait^H693 for him and rises^H6965 up^H6965 against^H5921 him and strikes^H5221 down [fn]his life so that he dies^H4191, and he flees^H5127 to one^H259 of these^H411 cities^H5892,

Deu 19:12

Deu 19:12then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and give him over into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

Deu 19:13

Deu 19:13“[fn]You shall not pity him, but you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you.

Statutes About Boundaries and Witnesses

Deu 19:14

“You shall not move^H5472 your neighbor’s^H7453 boundary^H1366 mark, which^H834 the ancestors^H7223 have set^H1379, in your inheritance^H5159 which^H834 you will inherit^H5157 in the land^H776 that Yahweh^H3068 your God^H430 gives^H5414 you to [fn]possess^H3423.

Deu 19:15

“A single^H259 witness^H5707 shall not rise^H6965 up^H6965 against a man^H376 on account of any^H3605 iniquity^H5771 or any^H3605 sin^H2399 [fn]which^H834 he has committed^H2398; at the mouth^H6310 of two^H8147 or^H176 three^H7969 witnesses^H5707 a matter^H1697 shall be established^H6965.