Deuteronomy 19:4-6

4 "¹Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live: when he kills his friend unintentionally *, not hating him previously -

5 as when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his friend so that he dies -he may flee to one of these cities and live;

6 otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger, and overtake him, because the way is long, and take his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously.

Deuteronomy 19:4-6 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.

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 35:9-34

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "smites"
• [b]. Lit "without knowledge"
• [c]. Lit "and he was not hating him previously"
• [d]. Lit "is thrust with"
• [e]. Lit "wood"
• [f]. Lit "finds"
• [g]. Lit "while his heart is hot"
• [h]. Lit "smite him in the soul"