Deuteronomy 19

WHen the LORD thy God has 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:

Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land To wit, beyond Iordan, as there were three already appointed on this side Iordan, Numb. 35. 14. He says, in the midst of the land, either for, in the land, as in the midst of the city, Ier. 52. 25. is the same with that, in the city; 2 King. 25. 19. or to design the places, that they should be scituated in the midst of the several parts of their land, to which they might conveniently and speedily flee from all the parts of the land., which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

Thou shalt prepare thee a way Distinguish it by evident marks, and make it plain and convenient, to prevent mistakes and delays., and divide the coasts of thy land (which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit) into three parts Not into more, because it was fit that these places should, as far as it was possible, be at some considerable distance from the friends of the slain person, least the sight of the manslayer might have provoked their passion and occasioned his ruine., that every slayer may flee thither.

And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither, that he may live, whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past.

As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree: and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour that he die, he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

Lest the avenger of blood pursue the slayer This verse is to be joyned with ver. 3. as is evident, the 4th. and 5th. verses, coming in as a parenthesis, which is usual, in Scripture and other authors., while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him Which is supposed, but not allowed, as appears from the following words. But the avenger of blood is not to be punished with death for killing the manslayer in case he found him without the borders of the city of refuge after he had been received there, Numb. 35. 26, 27. because then he was guilty of a new crime, to wit, a contempt of Gods ordinance, and a gross neglect of the duty of self-preservation, and therefore deserved death from God, who might permit it to be inflicted by the avenger of blood., whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast As far as Euphrates. See Gen. 15. 18. Exod. 23. 31. Deut. 1. 7. (as he has sworn unto thy fathers) and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers:

(If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his wayes) then shalt thou add three cities moe for thee, beside these three:

That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally, that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:

Then the elders of his city Either of the slain person, who were most likely to prosecute the murderer: or, of the murderer, because God would oblige even his own fellow citizens to prosecute him to death, that it might appear how hateful murder and the murderer is to God and ought to be to all men. shall send, and fetch him thence Demand him of the Elders of the city of refuge, who upon the hearing of the cause and the evidence of the murder were obliged to deliver the offender to justice., and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.

Thou shalt not remove thy neighbours land-mark By which the several portions of lands distributed to several families were distinguished one from another. See Iob 24. 2. Prov. 22. 28. Hos. 5. 10., which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit, in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

One witness shall not rise up Or, not stand, or, not be established, accepted, owned as sufficient, it is the same word which in the end of the verse is rendred, be established. against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established.

If a false witness A single witness, though he speak truth, is not to be accepted for the condemnation of another man, but if he be convicted of false witness, this is sufficient for his own condemnation. rise up against any man to testifie against him that which is wrong:

Then both the men between whom the controversie is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests, and the judges See on Deut. 17. 9, 12. and observe that the controversies both here and there referred to and to be determined by the Priests and Judges, are only between man and man, and not doctrines of faith and manners, as the Papists for their own advantage pretend., which shall be in those days:

And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and behold, if the witness be a false witness, and has testified falsly against his brother:

Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

And those which remain (i. e.) The rest of the people. See Deut. 13. 11. and 17. 13. shall hear and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

And thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye What punishment he intended or the law allotted to the accused, if he had been convicted, the same shall the false accuser hear. Of this law see on Exod. 21. 24. Lev. 24. 20., tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.