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Deuteronomy 19 :: New International Version (NIV)

Cities of Refuge

(Num 35:9–28; Jos 20:1–9 )

Deu 19:1

Deu 19:1When the LORD your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses,

Deu 19:2

Deu 19:2then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Deu 19:3

Deu 19:3Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.

Deu 19:4

Deu 19:4This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought.

Deu 19:5

Deu 19:5For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life.

Deu 19:6

Deu 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought.

Deu 19:7

Deu 19:7This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

Deu 19:8

Deu 19:8If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them,

Deu 19:9

Deu 19:9because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the LORD your God and to walk always in obedience to him—then you are to set aside three more cities.

Deu 19:10

Deu 19:10Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.

Deu 19:11

Deu 19:11But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor, and then flees to one of these cities,

Deu 19:12

Deu 19:12the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die.

Deu 19:13

Deu 19:13Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.

Deu 19:14

Deu 19:14Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Witnesses

Deu 19:15

Deu 19:15One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Deu 19:16

Deu 19:16If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime,

Deu 19:17

Deu 19:17the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time.

Deu 19:18

Deu 19:18The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite,

Deu 19:19

Deu 19:19then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you.

Deu 19:20

Deu 19:20The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.

Deu 19:21

Deu 19:21Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
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Deuteronomy Chapter 19 — Additional Translations:

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