Three cities, and three more if he enlarges you

Deuteronomychapter 19

21 verses · ASV

127 cross-references outward · 124 inward

Speaks with:Numbers 35×6 Deuteronomy 17×5 Deuteronomy 12×3 1 Kings 2×3 Exodus 21×2 Joshua 20×2 Exodus 23×2 Deuteronomy 27×2

See Deuteronomy book hub for context

Chapter summary

Cities of refuge in the land; the landmark; the false witness. Three cities within the land on this side of Jordan (with three more if the LORD enlarges the coast). The manslayer with unintentional death flees there; the avenger of blood will not prevail; the high priest's death ends the refuge. The deliberate murderer, though he flee, is fetched thence and given to the avenger's hand. ‘Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark’. A false witness must bear the penalty he sought to bring on the accused — ‘eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot’.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Deuteronomy overview for the book's full setting.

1–13 Three cities, and three more if he enlarges you14 Do not move your neighbor's landmark15–21 A false witness gets what he intended

1 When Jehovah thy God shall cut off the nations, whose land Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

2 thou shalt set apart three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it.

3 Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which Jehovah thy God causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither.

4 And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in time past;

5 as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbor, so that he dieth; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live:

6 lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt set apart three cities for thee.

8 And if Jehovah thy God enlarge thy border, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;