1-3 The cities of refuge 4-13 The privilege thereof for the manslayer 14 The landmark is not to be removed 15 Two witnesses at least are required 16-21 the punishment of a false witness

hath cut De 6:10 7:1,2 12:1,29 17:14

succeedest [heb] inheritest, or possessest De 12:29

2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

separate three cities Unquestionably in imitation of these cities, the heathen had their {asyla} and the Roman Catholics their {privileged altars}; and similar traditions seem to obtain in many barbarous nations, for `the North American Indian nations have most of them either a house or town of refuge, which is a sure asylum to protect a manslayer, or the unfortunate captive, if he once enter it. In almost every Indian nation, there are several towns, which are called old beloved, ancient, holy, or white towns, (white being their fixed emblem of peace, friendship, prosperity, happiness, purity, etc.) They seem to have been formerly towns of refuge; for it is not in the memory of the oldest people that human blood was shed in them. De 4:41-43 Ex 23:12 Nu 35:10-15 Jos 20:2-7 Heb 6:18

3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.

Isa 35:8 57:14 62:10 Heb 12:13

4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbor ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;

the slayer De 4:42 Nu 35:15-24

in time past [heb] from yesterday to the third day De 19:6 Ge 31:2 Jos 3:4 1Ch 11:2 Isa 30:33

5 As when a man goeth into the wood 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, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

head [heb] iron 2Ki 6:5-7

helve [heb] wood
lighteth [heb] findeth
he shall flee Nu 35:25 Pr 27:12 Isa 32:2

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

the avenger Nu 35:12 Jos 20:5 2Sa 14:7

slay him [heb] smite him in life
not worthy De 21:22 Jer 26:15,16

in time past [heb] from yesterday the third day De 19:4

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

De 19:8

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

De 11:24,25 12:20 Ge 15:18-21 28:14 Ex 23:31 34:24 1Ki 4:21 Ezr 4:20

9 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 ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

If thou shalt De 11:22-25 12:32

then shalt thou Jos 20:7,8

10 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.

De 19:13 21:8 1Ki 2:31 2Ki 21:16 24:4 Ps 94:21 Pr 6:17 Isa 59:7 Jer 7:6,7 Joe 3:19 Jon 1:14 Mt 27:4,5

11 But if any man hate his neighbor, 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:

but if any De 27:24 Ge 9:6 Ex 21:12-14 Nu 35:16-21,24 Pr 28:17

mortally [heb] in life

12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

1Ki 2:5,6,28-34

13 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.

Thine eye De 7:16 13:8 25:12 Eze 16:5

but thou De 21:9 Ge 9:6 Le 24:17,21 Nu 35:33,34 2Sa 21:1,14 1Ki 2:31

14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark, 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.

shalt not remove Before the extensive use of fences, landed property was marked out by stones or posts, set up so as to ascertain the divisions of family estates. It was easy to remove one of these landmarks, and set it in a different place; and thus a dishonest man might enlarge his own estate by contracting that of his neighbour. Hence it was a matter of considerable importance to prevent this crime among the Israelites; among whom, removing them would be equivalent to forging, altering, destroying, or concealing the title-deeds of an estate among us. Accordingly, by the Mosaic law, it was not only prohibited in the commandment against covetousness, but we find a particular curse expressly annexed to it in DE 27:17. Josephus considers this law a general prohibition, intended not only to protect private property, but also to preserve the boundaries of kingdoms and countries inviolable. De 27:17 Job 24:2 Pr 22:28 23:10 Ho 5:10

15 One witness shall not rise up 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.

at the mouth De 17:6 Nu 35:30 1Ki 21:10,13 Mt 18:16 26:60,61 Joh 8:17 2Co 13:1 1Ti 5:19 Heb 10:28 Re 11:3-7

16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;

a false witness Ex 23:1-7 1Ki 21:10-13 Ps 27:12 35:11 Mr 14:55-59 Ac 6:13

that which is wrong. or, falling away

17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;

De 17:9 21:5 Mal 2:7 Mt 23:2,3

18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

diligent De 13:14 17:4 2Ch 19:6,7 Job 19:16

19 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.

Then shall Pr 19:5,9 Jer 14:15 Da 6:24

so shalt De 13:5 17:7 19:20 21:20,21 22:21,24 24:7

20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

De 13:11 17:7,13 21:21 Pr 21:11 Ro 13:3,4 1Ti 5:20

21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

thine eye De 19:13

life shall Ex 21:23-25 Le 24:17-21 Mt 5:38,39