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Selected Verse: Deuteronomy 19:1 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| De 19:1 |
Strong Concordance |
When the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hath cut off [03772] the nations [01471], whose land [0776] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee, and thou succeedest [03423] them, and dwellest [03427] in their cities [05892], and in their houses [01004]; |
| |
King James |
When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses; |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
This and the next two chapters contain enactments designed to protect human life, and to impress its sanctity on Israel.
In Deu 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 in the earlier books (compare the marginal reference).
Deu 19:1, Deu 19:2
The three cities of refuge for the district east of Jordan had been already named. Moses now directs that when the territory on the west of Jordan had been conquered, a like allotment of three other cities in it should be made. This was accordingly done; compare Jos 20:1 ff,
Deu 19:3
Thou shalt prepare thee a way - It was the duty of the Senate to repair the roads that led to the cities of refuge annually, and remove every obstruction. No hillock was left, no river over which there was not a bridge; and the road was at least 32 cubits broad. At cross-roads there were posts bearing the words Refuge, Refuge, to guide the fugitive in his flight. It seems as if in Isa 40:3 ff the imagery were borrowed from the preparation of the ways to the cities of refuge.
Deu 19:5
With the axe - literally, "with the iron." Note the employment of iron for tools, and compare Deu 3:11 note.
Deu 19:8, Deu 19:9
Provision is here made for the anticipated enlargement of the borders of Israel to the utmost limits promised by God, from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates (Gen 15:18, note; Exo 23:31, note). This promise, owing to the sins of the people, did not receive its fulfillment until after David had conquered the Philistines, Syrians, etc.; and this but a transient one, for many of the conquered peoples regained independence on the dissolution of Solomon's empire. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
The laws concerning the Cities of Refuge for Unintentional Manslayers are not a mere repetition of the laws given in Num 35:9-34, but rather an admonition to carry out those laws, with special reference to the future extension of the boundaries of the land.
Deu 19:1-9
As Moses had already set apart the cities of refuge for the land on the east of the Jordan (Deu 4:41.), he is speaking here simply of the land on the west, which Israel was to take possession of before long; and supplements the instructions in Num 35:14, with directions to maintain the roads to the cities of refuge which were to be set apart in Canaan itself, and to divide the land into three parts, viz., for the purpose of setting apart these cities, so that one city might be chosen for the purpose in every third of the land. For further remarks on this point, as well as with regard to the use of these cities (Deu 19:4-7), see at Num 35:11. - In Deu 19:8-10 there follow the fresh instructions, that if the Lord should extend the borders of Israel, according to His promise given to the patriarchs, and should give them the whole land from the Nile to the Euphrates, according to Gen 15:18, they were to add three other cities of refuge to these three, for the purpose of preventing the shedding of innocent blood. The three new cities of refuge cannot be the three appointed in Num 35:14 for the land on this side of the Jordan, nor the three mentioned in Num 35:7 on the other side of Jordan, as Knobel and others suppose. Nor can we adopt Hengstenberg's view, that the three new ones are the same as the three mentioned in Deu 19:2 and Deu 19:7, since they are expressly distinguished from "these three." The meaning is altogether a different one. The circumstances supposed by Moses never existed, since the Israelites did not fulfil the conditions laid down in Deu 19:9, viz., that they should keep the law faithfully, and love the Lord their God (cf. Deu 4:6; Deu 6:5, etc.). The extension of the power of Israel to the Euphrates under David and Solomon, did not bring the land as far as this river into their actual possession, since the conquered kingdoms of Aram were still inhabited by the Aramaeans, who, though conquered, were only rendered tributary. And the Tyrians and Phoenicians, who belonged to the Canaanitish population, were not even attacked by David.
Deu 19:10
Innocent blood would be shed if the unintentional manslayer was not protected against the avenger of blood, by the erection of cities of refuge in every part of the land. If Israel neglected this duty, it would bring blood-guiltiness upon itself ("and so blood be upon thee"), because it had not done what was requisite to prevent the shedding of innocent blood.
Deu 19:11-13
But whatever care was to be taken by means of free cities to prevent the shedding of blood, the cities of refuge were not to be asyla for criminals who were deserving of death, nor to afford protection to those who had slain a neighbour out of hatred. If such murderers should flee to the free city, the elders (magistrates) of his own town were to fetch him out, and deliver him up to the avenger of blood, that he might die. The law laid down in Num 35:16-21 is here still more minutely defined; but this does not transfer to the elders the duty of instituting a judicial inquiry, and deciding the matter, as Riehm follows Vater and De Wette in maintaining, for the purpose of proving that there is a discrepancy between Deuteronomy and the previous legislation. They are simply commanded to perform the duty devolving upon them as magistrates and administrators of local affairs. (On Deu 19:13, see Deu 8:8 and Deu 8:5.) |
31 And I will set [07896] thy bounds [01366] from the Red [05488] sea [03220] even unto the sea [03220] of the Philistines [06430], and from the desert [04057] unto the river [05104]: for I will deliver [05414] the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776] into your hand [03027]; and thou shalt drive them out [01644] before [06440] thee.
18 In the same [01931] day [03117] the LORD [03068] made [03772] a covenant [01285] with Abram [087], saying [0559], Unto thy seed [02233] have I given [05414] this land [0776], from the river [05104] of Egypt [04714] unto the great [01419] river [05104], the river [05104] Euphrates [06578]:
9 If thou shalt keep [08104] all these commandments [04687] to do [06213] them, which I command [06680] thee this day [03117], to love [0157] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], and to walk [03212] ever [03117] in his ways [01870]; then shalt thou add [03254] three [07969] cities [05892] more for thee, beside these three [07969]:
8 And if the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] enlarge [07337] thy coast [01366], as he hath sworn [07650] unto thy fathers [01], and give [05414] thee all the land [0776] which he promised [01696] to give [05414] unto thy fathers [01];
11 For only Og [05747] king [04428] of Bashan [01316] remained [07604] of the remnant [03499] of giants [07497]; behold, his bedstead [06210] was a bedstead [06210] of iron [01270]; is it not [03808] in Rabbath [07237] of the children [01121] of Ammon [05983]? nine [08672] cubits [0520] was the length [0753] thereof, and four [0702] cubits [0520] the breadth [07341] of it, after the cubit [0520] of a man [0376].
5 As when a man goeth [0935] into the wood [03293] with his neighbour [07453] to hew [02404] wood [06086], and his hand [03027] fetcheth a stroke [05080] with the axe [01631] to cut down [03772] the tree [06086], and the head [01270] slippeth [05394] from the helve [06086], and lighteth [04672] upon his neighbour [07453], that he die [04191]; he shall flee [05127] unto one [0259] of those cities [05892], and live [02425]:
3 The voice [06963] of him that crieth [07121] in the wilderness [04057], Prepare [06437] ye the way [01870] of the LORD [03068], make straight [03474] in the desert [06160] a highway [04546] for our God [0430].
3 Thou shalt prepare [03559] thee a way [01870], and divide the coasts [01366] of thy land [0776], which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth thee to inherit [05157], into three parts [08027], that every slayer [07523] may flee [05127] thither.
1 The LORD [03068] also spake [01696] unto Joshua [03091], saying [0559],
2 Thou shalt separate [0914] three [07969] cities [05892] for thee in the midst [08432] of thy land [0776], which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee to possess [03423] it.
1 When the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hath cut off [03772] the nations [01471], whose land [0776] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee, and thou succeedest [03423] them, and dwellest [03427] in their cities [05892], and in their houses [01004];
1 When the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hath cut off [03772] the nations [01471], whose land [0776] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee, and thou succeedest [03423] them, and dwellest [03427] in their cities [05892], and in their houses [01004];
2 Thou shalt separate [0914] three [07969] cities [05892] for thee in the midst [08432] of thy land [0776], which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee to possess [03423] it.
3 Thou shalt prepare [03559] thee a way [01870], and divide the coasts [01366] of thy land [0776], which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth thee to inherit [05157], into three parts [08027], that every slayer [07523] may flee [05127] thither.
4 And this is the case [01697] of the slayer [07523], which shall flee [05127] thither, that he may live [02425]: Whoso killeth [05221] his neighbour [07453] ignorantly [01097] [01847], whom he hated [08130] not in time [08543] past [08032];
5 As when a man goeth [0935] into the wood [03293] with his neighbour [07453] to hew [02404] wood [06086], and his hand [03027] fetcheth a stroke [05080] with the axe [01631] to cut down [03772] the tree [06086], and the head [01270] slippeth [05394] from the helve [06086], and lighteth [04672] upon his neighbour [07453], that he die [04191]; he shall flee [05127] unto one [0259] of those cities [05892], and live [02425]:
6 Lest the avenger [01350] of the blood [01818] pursue [07291] the slayer [0310] [07523], while [03588] his heart [03824] is hot [03179], and overtake [05381] him, because the way [01870] is long [07235], and slay [05221] him [05315]; whereas he was not worthy [04941] of death [04194], inasmuch as [03588] he hated [08130] him not in time [08543] past [08032].
7 Wherefore I command [06680] thee, saying [0559], Thou shalt separate [0914] three [07969] cities [05892] for thee.
8 And if the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] enlarge [07337] thy coast [01366], as he hath sworn [07650] unto thy fathers [01], and give [05414] thee all the land [0776] which he promised [01696] to give [05414] unto thy fathers [01];
9 If thou shalt keep [08104] all these commandments [04687] to do [06213] them, which I command [06680] thee this day [03117], to love [0157] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], and to walk [03212] ever [03117] in his ways [01870]; then shalt thou add [03254] three [07969] cities [05892] more for thee, beside these three [07969]:
10 That innocent [05355] blood [01818] be not shed [08210] in [07130] thy land [0776], which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee for an inheritance [05159], and so blood [01818] be upon thee.
11 But if any man [0376] hate [08130] his neighbour [07453], and lie in wait [0693] for him, and rise up [06965] against him, and smite [05221] him mortally [05315] that he die [04191], and fleeth [05127] into one [0259] of these [0411] cities [05892]:
12 Then the elders [02205] of his city [05892] shall send [07971] and fetch [03947] him thence, and deliver [05414] him into the hand [03027] of the avenger [01350] of blood [01818], that he may die [04191].
13 Thine eye [05869] shall not pity [02347] him, but thou shalt put away [01197] the guilt of innocent [05355] blood [01818] from Israel [03478], that it may go well [02895] with thee.