Deuteronomy 19

(Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Joshua 20:1–9)

1WhenH3588 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 has cut offH3772 the nationsH1471 whose landH776 HeH3068H430 is givingH5414 you, and when you have driven them outH3423 and settledH3427 in their citiesH5892 and housesH1004, 2then you are to set apartH914 for yourselves threeH7969 citiesH5892 withinH8432 the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you to possessH3423. 3You are to buildH3559 roadsH1870 for yourselves1 and divide into three regionsH8027 the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430H1961 is giving you as an inheritanceH5157, so that anyH3605 manslayerH7523 can fleeH5127 to these citiesH8033.

4Now thisH2088 is the situationH1697 regarding the manslayerH7523 whoH834 fleesH5127 to one of these cities to save his lifeH2421, having killedH5221 his neighborH7453 accidentallyH1097H1847H1931, withoutH3808 intending to harmH8130 him: 5IfH834 he goesH935 into the forestH3293 withH854 his neighborH7453 to cutH2404 timberH6086 and swingsH3027H5080 his axeH1631 to chop downH3772 a treeH6086, but the blade flies offH5394H1270H4480 the handleH6086 and strikesH4672 and killsH4191 his neighborH7453, heH1931 may fleeH5127 toH413 oneH259 of theseH428 citiesH5892 to save his lifeH2421.

6OtherwiseH6435, the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 might pursueH7291 the manslayerH7523 in a rageH3824, overtake himH5381 ifH3588 the distanceH1870 is greatH7235, and strike himH5221 deadH5315 though he did notH369 deserveH4941 to dieH4194, sinceH3588 heH1931 did notH3808 intend any harmH8130H8543H8032. 7This is whyH5921H3651 IH595 am commandingH6680H559 you to set apartH914 for yourselves threeH7969 citiesH5892.

8And ifH518 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 enlargesH7337 your territoryH1366, asH834 He sworeH7650 to your fathersH1, and givesH5414 you allH3605 the landH776 He promisedH1696H5414 themH1, 9and ifH3588 you carefully keepH8104 allH3605 theseH2063 commandmentsH4687 IH595 am giving youH6680 todayH3117, lovingH157 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 and walkingH1980 in His waysH1870 at all timesH3605H3117, then you are to addH3254 threeH7969 moreH5750 citiesH5892 toH5921 theseH428 threeH7969.

10Thus innocentH5355 bloodH1818 will notH3808 be shedH8210 inH7130 the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you as an inheritanceH5159, so that you will not beH1961H5921 guilty of bloodshedH1818.

11If, howeverH3588H1961, a manH376 hatesH8130 his neighborH7453 and lies in waitH693, attacksH6965 himH5921 and kills himH5221H5315H4191, and then fleesH5127 toH413 oneH259 of theseH411 citiesH5892, 12the eldersH2205 of his cityH5892 must send for himH7971, bringH3947 himH853 backH8033, and hand him over toH5414 the avengerH1350 of bloodH1818 to dieH4191. 13You must show him no pityH3808H2347H5921H5869. You are to purgeH1197 from IsraelH3478 the guilt of shedding innocentH5355 bloodH1818, that it may go wellH2896 with you.

14You must notH3808 moveH5253 your neighbor’sH7453 boundary markerH1366, which was set upH1379 by your ancestorsH7223 to mark the inheritanceH5159 you shall receiveH5157 in the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you to possessH3423.

The Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses

(Matthew 18:15–20)

15A loneH259 witnessH5707 is not sufficientH3808 to establishH6965 anyH3605 wrongdoingH5771 or sinH2403 against a manH376, regardless of whatH3605 offenseH2399 he may have committedH2398. A matterH1697 must be establishedH6965 byH5921 the testimonyH6310 of twoH8147 orH176H5921H6310 threeH7969H5707 witnessesH5707.2

16IfH3588H6965 a falseH2555 witnessH5707 testifiesH6030 against someoneH376, accusing him of a crimeH5627, 17bothH8147 partiesH582 to the disputeH7379 must standH5975 in the presenceH6440 of the LORDH3068, beforeH6440 the priestsH3548 and judgesH8199 whoH834 areH1961 in office at thatH1992 timeH3117. 18The judgesH8199 shall investigateH1875 thoroughlyH3190, and ifH2009 the witnessH5707 is proven to be a liarH8267H5707 who has falselyH8267 accusedH6030 his brotherH251, 19you must doH6213 to him asH834 he intendedH2161 to doH6213 to his brotherH251. So you must purgeH1197 the evilH7451 from among youH7130.3 20Then the restH7604 of the people will hearH8085 and be afraidH3372, and they will neverH3808 againH3254H5750 doH6213 anythingH1697 soH2088 evilH7451 among youH7130. 21You must show no pityH3808H2347H5869: lifeH5315 for lifeH5315, eyeH5869 for eyeH5869, toothH8127 for toothH8127,4 handH3027 for handH3027, and footH7272 for footH7272.