Deuteronomy 19:4

Deuteronomy 19:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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;
• New International Version (NIV)This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having hated him in the past—
• New King James Version (NKJV)“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—

Context of Deuteronomy 19:4

2you are to set apart three cities for yourselves within the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3You are to determine the distances and divide the land the Lord your God is granting you as an inheritance into three regions, so that anyone who commits manslaughter can flee to these cities. “Here is the law concerning a case of someone who kills a person and flees there to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally without previously hating him: 5If, for example, he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber, and his hand swings the ax to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies, that person may flee to one of these cities and live. 6Otherwise, the avenger of blood in the heat of his anger might pursue the one who committed manslaughter, overtake him because the distance is great, and strike him dead. Yet he did not deserve to die, since he did not previously hate his neighbor.

Deuteronomy 19:4 word by word

וְזֶה֙ דְּבַ֣ר הָרֹצֵ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־יָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וָחָ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַכֶּ֤ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמֹ֥ל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• the caseדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• of the slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• which shall fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• thither, that he may liveחָיַיchâyay · to liveH2425
• Whoso killethנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• ignorantlyדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• ignorantlyבְּלִיbelîy · withoutH1097
• whom he hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
• not in timeתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
• pastשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 19:4

• Deuteronomy 4:42Someone could flee there who committed manslaughter, killing his neighbor accidentally without previously hating him. He could flee to one of these cities and stay alive:
• Numbers 35:15These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the alien or temporary resident among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood in the heat of his anger might pursue the one who committed manslaughter, overtake him because the distance is great, and strike him dead. Yet he did not deserve to die, since he did not previously hate his neighbor.
• Genesis 31:2And Jacob saw from Laban’s face that his attitude toward him was not the same as before.
• Joshua 3:4But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”
• 1 Chronicles 11:2Even previously when Saul was king, you were leading Israel out to battle and bringing us back. The Lord your God also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over my people Israel.’”
• Isaiah 30:33Indeed! Topheth has been ready for the king for a long time. Its funeral pyre is deep and wide, with plenty of fire and wood. The breath of the Lord, like a torrent of burning sulfur, kindles it.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-13Verses 1-13 This and the next two chapters contain enactments designed to protect human life, and to impress its sanctity on Israel. In Deuteronomy 19:1-13 the directions respecting the preparation of the roads to the cities of refuge, the provision of additional cities in case of an extension of territory, and the intervention of the elders as representing the congregation, are unique to Deuteronomy and supplementary to the laws on the same subject given…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4a manslayer … having killed … accidentally: This refers to a person who does not plan the act of killing someone in advance (see 17:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-132. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land--Goelism, or the duty of the nearest kinsmen to avenge the death of a slaughtered relative, being the customary law of that age (as it still is among the Arabs and other people of the East), Moses incorporated it in an improved form with his legislative code. For the protection of the unintentional homicide, he provided certain cities of refuge--three had been destined for this purpose…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 19:4

• Avenger of Blood
• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• Add
• City
• Landmark
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• Assassination
• Atonement, Day of
• Courts, Judicial
• Criticism
• Deuteronomy
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings