Deuteronomy 19:7-17

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. 1
15 "One witness is not enough to convict someone of a crime; at least two witnesses are necessary to prove that someone is guilty. 2
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.

Cross References 2

  • 1. 19.14Deuteronomy 27.17.
  • 2. 19.15Numbers 35.30;Deuteronomy 17.6;Matthew 18.16;John 8.17;2 Corinthians 13.1;1 Timothy 5.19;Hebrews 10.28.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.