New English Translation
Deuteronomy 19:2
2you must set apart for yourselves three cities in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession.
Deuteronomy 19:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
- New International Version (NIV)then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
- English Standard Version (ESV)you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
- New King James Version (NKJV)you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
Context of Deuteronomy 19:2
1When the Lord your God destroys the nations whose land he is about to give you and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and houses, you must set apart for yourselves three cities in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession. 3You shall build a roadway and divide into thirds the whole extent of your land that the Lord your God is providing as your inheritance; anyone who kills another person should flee to the closest of these cities. 4Now this is the law pertaining to one who flees there in order to live, if he has accidentally killed another without hating him at the time of the accident.
Read all of Deuteronomy 19Deuteronomy 19:2 word by word
שָׁל֥וֹשׁ עָרִ֖ים תַּבְדִּ֣יל לָ֑ךְ בְּת֣וֹךְ אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thou shalt separateבָּדַלbâdal · to separateH914
- threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- for thee in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of thy landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- givethנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- thee to possessיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: takeH3423
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 19:2
- Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses selected three cities in the Transjordan, toward the east.
- Exodus 23:12For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant’s son and any hired help may refresh themselves.
- Numbers 35:10“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan River into the land of Canaan,
- Joshua 20:2“Have the Israelites select the cities of refuge that I told you about through Moses.
- Hebrews 6:18so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Thou shalt separate three cities - See on Numbers 35:11; (note), etc.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. 2The three cities mentioned here were in Canaan, west of the Jordan River. Three other cities were located east of the Jordan in Transjordan (see Numbers 35:13–14; Joshua 20:7).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 19:2
In the dictionaries
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
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