Deuteronomy 19:11-21

11 But if a person hates his neighbor and, after hiding and waiting, attacks and kills him and then runs to one of these cities for safety,
12 the older leaders of his own city should send for the murderer. They should bring the person back from the city of safety and hand him over to the relative who has the duty of punishing the murderer.
13 Show no mercy. You must remove from Israel the guilt of murdering innocent people so that things will go well for you.
14 Do not move the stone that marks the border of your neighbor's land, which people long ago set in place. It marks what you inherit in the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own.
15 One witness is not enough to accuse a person of a crime or sin. A case must be proved by two or three witnesses.
16 If a witness lies and accuses a person of a crime,
17 the two people who are arguing must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and judges who are on duty.
18 The judges must check the matter carefully. The witness who is a liar, lying about a fellow Israelite,
19 must be punished. He must be punished in the same way the other person would have been punished. You must get rid of the evil among you.
20 The rest of the people will hear about this and be afraid, and no one among you will ever do such an evil thing again.
21 Show no mercy. A life must be paid for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot.

Deuteronomy 19:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.