Deuteronomy 19:6

Deuteronomy 19:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
• New International Version (NIV)Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought.
• English Standard Version (ESV)lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past.
• New King James Version (NKJV)lest the avenger of blood, while his anger is hot, pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and kill him, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated the victim in time past.

Context of Deuteronomy 19:6

4And this is the case of the slayer, who shall flee there, that he may live: Whoever killeth his neighbour unintentionally, whom he hated not in time past; 5As when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand maketh a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and falleth upon his neighbour, that he dieth; he shall flee to one of these cities, and live: Lest the avenger of blood shall pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; though he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. 7Therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt set apart three cities for thee. 8And if the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy land, as he hath sworn to thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give to thy fathers;

Deuteronomy 19:6 word by word

פֶּן־יִרְדֹּף֩ גֹּאֵ֨ל הַדָּ֜ם אַחֲרֵ֣י הָרֹצֵ֗חַ כִּי־יֵחַם֮ לְבָבוֹ֒ וְהִשִּׂיג֛וֹ כִּֽי־יִרְבֶּ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ וְהִכָּ֣הוּ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְלוֹ֙ אֵ֣ין מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֔וֶת כִּ֠י לֹ֣א שֹׂנֵ֥א ה֛וּא ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃Read the interlinear

• avengerגָּאַלgâ'al · to redeem: avengeH1350
• bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• pursueרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• slayerאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• slayerרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• whileכִּיkîy · forH3588
• heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• hotיָחַםyâcham · to conceiveH3179
• overtakeנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
• wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• longרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• slayנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• himנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• worthyמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
• deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• hatedשָׂנֵאώânê' · to hateH8130
• timeתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
• pastשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 19:6

• Numbers 35:12And they shall be to you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer may not die, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
• Joshua 20:5And if the avenger of blood shall pursue him, then they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unknowingly, and had not hated him in times past.
• 2 Samuel 14:7And, behold, the whole family hath risen against thy handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.
• Deuteronomy 21:22And if a man shall have committed a sin worthy of death, and he must be put to death, and thou shalt hang him on a tree:
• Jeremiah 26:15But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its inhabitants: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.
• Deuteronomy 19:4And this is the case of the slayer, who shall flee there, that he may live: Whoever killeth his neighbour unintentionally, whom he hated not in time past;

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19:6

• 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. 6avenger of blood (literally the redeemer of blood): The law allowed a victim's family to avenge murder. They could execute the killer when they found him (Numbers 35:16–21). The idea was that blood shed by the victim must be paid for by the blood of the person responsible for the act (see Genesis 4:15; 9:6). In this way, the land made unclean by the shed blood could be purified (Numbers 35:33–34).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot--This verse is a continuation of De 19:3 (for De 19:4, 5, which are explanatory, are in a parenthetical form), and the meaning is that if the kinsman of a person inadvertently killed should, under the impulse of sudden excitement and without inquiring into the circumstances, inflict summary vengeance on the homicide, however guiltless, the law tolerated such an act; it was to…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 19:6

• Avenger of Blood
• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

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• Assassination
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• Deuteronomy

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