Deuteronomy 19

1 "After the Lord your God has destroyed the people whose land he is giving you and after you have taken their cities and houses and settled there, ¹

2 divide the territory into three parts, each with a city that can be easily reached. Then any of you that kill will be able to escape to one of them for protection.

4 If you accidentally kill someone who is not your enemy, you may escape to any of these cities and be safe.

5 For example, if two of you go into the forest together to cut wood and if, as one of you is chopping down a tree, the ax head comes off the handle and kills the other, you can run to one of those three cities and be safe.

6 If there were only one city, the distance to it might be too great, and the relative who is responsible for taking revenge for the killing might catch you and angrily kill an innocent person. After all, it was by accident that you killed someone who was not your enemy.

7 This is why I order you to set aside three cities.

8 "When the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he told your ancestors he would, and gives you all the land he has promised,

9 then you are to select three more cities. (He will give you this land if you do everything that I command you today and if you love the Lord your God and live according to his teachings.)

10 Do this, so that innocent people will not die and so that you will not be guilty of putting them to death in the land that the Lord is giving you.

11 "But suppose you deliberately murder your enemy in cold blood and then escape to one of those cities for protection.

12 In that case, the leaders of your own town are to send for you and hand you over to the relative responsible for taking revenge for the murder, so that you may be put to death.

13 No mercy will be shown to you. Israel must rid itself of murderers, so that all will go well.

14 "Do not move your neighbor's property line, established long ago in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ²

15 "One witness is not enough to convict someone of a crime; at least two witnesses are necessary to prove that someone is guilty. ³

16 If any of you try to harm another by false accusations,

17 both of you are to go to the one place of worship and be judged by the priests and judges who are then in office.

18 The judges will investigate the case thoroughly; and if you have made a false accusation,

19 you are to receive the punishment the accused would have received. In this way your nation will get rid of this evil.

20 Then everyone else will hear what happened; they will be afraid, and no one will ever again do such an evil thing.

21 In such cases show no mercy; the punishment is to be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot. ⁴

Deuteronomy 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

The cities of refuge, The man-slayer, The murderer. (1-13) Landmarks not to be removed. (14) The punishment of false witnesses. (15-21)

Verses 1-13 Here is the law settled between the blood of the murdered, and the blood of the murderer; provision is made, that the cities of refuge should be a protection, so that a man should not die for that as a crime, which was not his willing act. In Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, refuge is provided for those who by faith flee unto him. But there is no refuge in Jesus Christ for presumptuous sinners, who go on still in their trespasses. Those who flee to Christ from their sins, shall be safe in him, but not those who expect to be sheltered by him in their sins.

Verse 14 Direction is given to fix landmarks in Canaan. It is the will of God that every one should know his own; and that means should be used to hinder the doing and suffering of wrong. This, without doubt, is a moral precept, and still binding. Let every man be content with his own lot, and be just to his neighbours in all things.

Verses 15-21 Sentence should never be passed upon the testimony of one witness alone. A false witness should suffer the same punishment which he sought to have inflicted upon the person he accused. Nor could any law be more just. Let all Christians not only be cautious in bearing witness in public, but be careful not to join in private slanders; and let all whose consciences accuse them of crime, without delay flee for refuge to the hope set before them in Jesus Christ.

Cross References

• 1. 19.1-13Joshua 20.1-9.
• 2. 19.14Deuteronomy 27.17.
• 3. 19.15Numbers 35.30;Deuteronomy 17.6;Matthew 18.16;John 8.17;2 Corinthians 13.1;1 Timothy 5.19;Hebrews 10.28.
• 4. 19.21Exodus 21.23-25;Leviticus 24.19, 20;Matthew 5.38.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 19

This chapter contains an order to separate three cities of refuge in the land of Canaan, for such that killed a man unawares to flee to, of which those who were guilty of murder purposely were to have no benefit, De 19:1-13, a law is given against removing landmarks, De 19:14, and others concerning witnesses, that they should be more than one; be two, or three, De 19:15, and that a false witness, on conviction, should be punished, De 19:16-21.