Deuteronomy 19:3

Deuteronomy 19:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
• New International Version (NIV)Determine 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You shall measure the distances and divide into three parts the area of the land that the Lord your God gives you as a possession, so that any manslayer can flee to them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You shall prepare roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, that any manslayer may flee there.

Context of Deuteronomy 19:3

1The Lord your God will destroy all the nations that are living in the land that he’s giving you. You will force them out and live in their cities and houses. 2When all this is done, set aside three cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Provide a route to each of these cities and divide the land that the Lord your God is giving you into three regions. Whoever kills someone may run to one of these cities. 4A person who unintentionally kills someone he never hated in the past may run to one of these cities to save his life. 5Suppose two people go into the woods to cut wood. As one of them swings the ax to cut down a tree, the head flies off the handle, hits, and kills the other person. The one who accidentally killed the other person may run to one of these cities and save his life.

Deuteronomy 19:3 word by word

תָּכִ֣ין לְךָ֮ הַדֶּרֶךְ֒ וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־גְּב֣וּל אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַנְחִֽילְךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֕ה לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה כָּל־רֹצֵֽחַ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thou shalt prepareכּוּןkûn · to establish: rightH3559
• thee a wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• and divide the coastsגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
• of thy landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• giveth thee to inheritנָחַלnâchal · to inheritH5157
• into three partsשָׁלַשׁshâlash · to do threeH8027
• that every slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• may fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 19:3

• Isaiah 35:8A highway will be there, a roadway. It will be called the Holy Road. Sinners won’t travel on it. It will be for those who walk on it. Godless fools won’t wander ⌞onto it⌟.
• Isaiah 57:14It will be said: “Build a road! Build a road! Prepare the way! Remove every obstacle in the way of my people!”
• Isaiah 62:10Go through! Go through the gates! Prepare a way for the people! Build up! Build up the highway! Clear away the stones! Raise a flag for the people!
• Hebrews 12:13Keep walking along straight paths so that your injured leg won’t get worse. Instead, let it heal.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Thou shalt prepare thee a way - The Jews inform us that the roads to the cities of refuge were made very broad, thirty-two cubits; and even, so that there should be no impediments in the way; and were constantly kept in good repair.Read the comment
• 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. 1-13Cities of refuge were placed in different parts of the land (19:2). They were located carefully so people could reach them easily. A person accused of killing someone could run to one of these cities for protection. There, the person would be safe until a fair trial took place (see 4:41; Numbers 35:6–29).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Thou shalt prepare thee a way--The roads leading to them were to be kept in good condition and the brooks or rivers to be spanned by good bridges; the width of the roads was to be thirty-two cubits; and at all the crossroads signposts were to be erected with the words, Mekeleth, Mekeleth, "refuge, refuge," painted on them. divide the coasts of thy land ... into three parts--the whole extent of the country from the south to the north. The three cities…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 19:3

• Homicide
• Refuge
• Roads

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Add
• City
• Landmark
• Remove
• Assassination
• Atonement, Day of
• Courts, Judicial
• Criticism

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