New International Version
Deuteronomy 4:42
42to 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.
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:
- English Standard Version (ESV)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:
- 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
40Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time. 41Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, 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. 43The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites. 44This is the law Moses set before the Israelites.
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 19:1When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses,
- Numbers 35:6“Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns.
- Hebrews 6:18God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.
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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