Exodus 21:13

Exodus 21:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
• New International Version (NIV)However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.
• New King James Version (NKJV)However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

Context of Exodus 21:13

11If he doesn’t give her these three things, she can go free, without paying any money for her freedom. 12“Whoever strikes someone and kills him must be put to death. If it wasn’t done intentionally, but God let it happen, the killer should flee to a place I will set aside for you. 14But whenever someone becomes so angry that he plans to kill his neighbor, you must take him away from my altar and put him to death. 15“Whoever hits his father or mother must be put to death.

Exodus 21:13 word by word

וַאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א צָדָ֔ה וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אִנָּ֣ה לְיָד֑וֹ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י לְךָ֙ מָק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנ֖וּס שָֽׁמָּה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And if a man lie not in waitצָדָהtsâdâh · to ambushH6658
• but Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• deliverאָנָה'ânâh · to meetH579
• into his handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• then I will appointשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: appointH7760
• thee a placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• whither he shall fleeנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127

Cross-references for Exodus 21:13

• Numbers 35:11select certain cities to be places of refuge. Anyone who unintentionally kills another person may run to them.
• Deuteronomy 19:4A person who unintentionally kills someone he never hated in the past may run to one of these cities to save his life.
• Micah 7:2Faithful people are gone from the earth, and no one is decent. All people lie in ambush to commit murder. They trap each other with nets.
• 1 Samuel 24:4David’s men told him, “Today is the day the Lord referred to when he said, ‘I’m going to hand your enemy over to you. You will do to him whatever you think is right.’ ” David quietly got up and cut off the border of Saul’s robe.
• 2 Samuel 16:10But the king said, “You don’t think like me at all, sons of Zeruiah. Let him curse. If the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ should anyone ask, ‘Why do you do that?’ ”
• Isaiah 10:7But that’s not what they intend to do. Their minds don’t work that way. Their purpose is to destroy and put an end to many nations.
• Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan River.
• Deuteronomy 19:1The 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.
• Joshua 20:2“Tell the people of Israel, ‘Now choose for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses.

Commentaries on Exodus 21:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee - From the earliest times the nearest akin had a right to revenge the murder of his relation, and as this right was universally acknowledged, no law was ever made on the subject; but as this might be abused, and a person who had killed another accidentally, having had no previous malice against him, might be put to death by the avenger of blood, as the nearest kinsman was termed, therefore God provided the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13There was no place of safety for the guilty murderer, not even the altar of Yahweh. Thus all superstitious notions connected with the right of sanctuary were excluded. Adonijah and Joab 1 Kings 1:50; 1 Kings 2:28 appear to have vainly trusted that the common feeling would protect them, if they took hold of the horns of the altar on which atonement with blood was made Leviticus 4:7. But for one who killed a man “at unawares,” that is, without intending to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 God, who by his providence gives and maintains life, by his law protects it. A wilful murderer shall be taken even from God's altar. But God provided cities of refuge to protect those whose unhappiness it was, and not their fault, to cause the death of another; for such as by accident, when a man is doing a lawful act, without intent of hurt, happens to kill another. Let children hear the sentence of God's word upon the ungrateful and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-17The crimes of murder, kidnapping, and cursing or striking one’s parents were punished by death. A person who committed murder gave up his own right to live. Human life is very precious in God’s sight. Even when a death was accidental, it could not simply be ignored. However, the law made a difference between murder and accidental killing. God provided places of refuge (see Numbers 35:6–28). These were special towns where a person who killed someone by…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-367-11. if a man sell his daughter--Hebrew girls might be redeemed for a reasonable sum. But in the event of her parents or friends being unable to pay the redemption money, her owner was not at liberty to sell her elsewhere. Should she have been betrothed to him or his son, and either change their minds, a maintenance must be provided for her suitable to her condition as his intended wife, or her freedom instantly granted.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 21:13

• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Avenger of blood
• Book
• City
• Crucifixion
• Determine
• Gore
• Push
• Quit

Commentaries on Exodus 21

• 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