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

2When all this is done, set aside three cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 3Provide 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. A 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. 6Otherwise, in a rage the relative who has the authority to avenge the death will pursue him. If the place is too far away, the relative may catch up with him and take his life even though he didn’t deserve the death penalty, because in the past he never hated the person he killed.

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 4:42Those who unintentionally killed someone whom they had never hated could flee to one of these cities and save their lives.
• Numbers 35:15These six cities will be places of refuge for Israelites, foreigners, and strangers among you. Anyone who unintentionally kills another person may flee to these cities.
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise, in a rage the relative who has the authority to avenge the death will pursue him. If the place is too far away, the relative may catch up with him and take his life even though he didn’t deserve the death penalty, because in the past he never hated the person he killed.
• Genesis 31:2He also noticed that Laban did not appear as friendly to him as before.
• Joshua 3:4However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don’t come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before.”
• 1 Chronicles 11:2“Even in the past when Saul ruled, you were the one who led Israel on its campaigns to war. The Lord your God has said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, the leader of my people Israel.’ ”
• Isaiah 30:33Topheth was prepared long ago. It was made ready for the king. It was made deep and wide and piled high with plenty of burning logs. The Lord’s breath will be like a flood of burning sulfur, setting it on fire.

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
• Remove
• 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