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Deuteronomy 19

21 verses

TL;DR

The chapter outlines Israel’s laws for handling unintentional killings, establishing cities of refuge, and setting strict evidentiary standards to ensure justice and mercy.

Summary

Deuteronomy 19 prescribes that Israel must set apart three cities for those who, by accident, kill a neighbor, allowing the guilty to flee and live. The law specifies that if the killer truly did not intend death, he may seek refuge in one of these cities and will be protected from avengers of blood. The text further commands that if Israel keeps these laws and its covenant with God, an additional three cities may be added. It stresses the importance of fair testimony, requiring two or three witnesses for a conviction and condemning false witnesses. Those found guilty of lying in court face punishment equal to the harm they caused, reinforcing the principle of retributive justice. The passage concludes with a warning that life for life and eye for eye will be upheld in the community.

Outline
  1. 1. Establishment of cities of refuge for unintentional murderers
  2. 2. Procedures for protection from avengers and the requirement of refuge
  3. 3. Laws governing witnesses and punishment for false testimony
Themes
justice and mercycommunity responsibilityevidentiary standards
Keywords
cities of refugeunintentional killingavenger of bloodfalse witnessevidencejusticemercylaw
People
you (Israelite)your neighborthe LORDelders of the citypriestsjudgesavenger of blood
Places
the land of Israelthree cities of refugecoastwood
Things
cities of refugeavenger of bloodfalse witnesslandmarkcoast
Key Verses
  • Deuteronomy 19:3: Shows the division of land into parts for the cities of refuge.
  • Deuteronomy 19:4: Defines the circumstance under which a killer may flee.
  • Deuteronomy 19:11: States the procedure for those who flee to a refuge city.
  • Deuteronomy 19:15: Establishes the requirement of two or three witnesses for a conviction.
  • Deuteronomy 19:19: Describes the punishment for a false witness.
Questions
  • What does the law say about how to treat an accidental killer?
  • How does the text balance retributive justice with mercy?
  • Why is the requirement of two or three witnesses emphasized?
  • What might the role of the city’s elders and the judges be?
  • How do these laws reflect Israel’s covenant relationship with God?
Sentiment

neutral
The text conveys a legal and procedural tone without explicit emotional language.