English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 4:42
42that the manslayer might flee there, anyone who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without being at enmity with him in time past; he may flee to one of these cities and save his life:
Deuteronomy 4:42 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live:
- New International Version (NIV)to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without having hated him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live:
- New Living Translation (NLT)Anyone who killed another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, could flee there to live in safety.
Context of Deuteronomy 4:42
40Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time." 41Then Moses set apart three cities in the east beyond the Jordan, that the manslayer might flee there, anyone who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without being at enmity with him in time past; he may flee to one of these cities and save his life: 43Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites. 44This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel.
Read all of Deuteronomy 4Deuteronomy 4:42 word by word
לָנֻ֨ס שָׁ֜מָּה רוֹצֵ֗חַ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְצַ֤ח אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשׁ֑וֹם וְנָ֗ס אֶל־אַחַ֛ת מִן־הֶעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖ל וָחָֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That the slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
- might fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
- his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- unawaresדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
- unawaresבְּלִיbelîy · withoutH1097
- and hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
- him not in timesתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
- pastשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032
- unto oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of theseאֵל'êl · theseH411
- citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- he might liveחָיַיchâyay · to liveH2425
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 4:42
- Deuteronomy 19:1"When the Lord your God cuts 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,
- Numbers 35:6"The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.
- Hebrews 6:18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4:42
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 41-43Verses 41-43 These verses are inserted between two distinct and complete discourses for the reason to which they themselves call attention (“Then Moses severed three cities,” etc.); i. e., the fact narrated took place historically after Moses spoke the one discourse and before he delivered the other. In thus severing the three cities of refuge Moses carried out a previous command of God (see the marginal references); and so followed up his exhortations to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 41-49Verses 41-49 Here is the introduction to another discourse, or sermon, Moses preached to Israel, which we have in the following chapters. He sets the law before them, as the rule they were to work by, the way they were to walk in. He sets it before them, as the glass in which they were to see their natural face, that, looking into this perfect law of liberty, they might continue therein. These are the laws, given when Israel was newly come out of Egypt…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 41-43When Israel settled in Canaan and began living in cities, serious crimes such as homicide required legal decisions. Disputes could not be settled by private revenge. They needed judges to decide each case. The law provided cities of refuge to protect people accused of killing someone. These cities gave safety from immediate revenge and allowed time for a fair trial. The first cities were set apart east of the Jordan River. Later, others were set apart in…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 41-4341-43. Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan--(See on Jos 20:7).Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 4:42
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries