Cities of Refuge
Study note
Israel was to set up three cities of refuge in the Promised Land. If someone accidentally killed another person -- like an axe head flying off and striking a neighbor -- they could flee to the nearest city of refuge and be safe from revenge. Good roads were to be built to these cities.
1 "The Lord your God will wipe out the nations whose land he gives you. You will drive them out. You will move into their homes and cities. When the LORD thy God hath 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;
2 pick three cities within the land the Lord your God is giving you and set them apart. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3 Build good roads to each city. Split your territory into three equal sections. Then anyone who accidentally kills someone can run to one of these cities for safety. 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.
4 "Here is the situation this covers. Someone kills another person and runs to one of these cities for safety. The killing was an accident. The person had no grudge against the victim beforehand." 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;
5 For instance, two friends go into the woods to chop down trees. As one of them swings the axe, the metal head breaks off the handle, hits his friend, and kills him. That person can run to one of these safe cities. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour 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 neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
6 Without these cities, the victim's angry relative might chase the killer and catch him because the distance is too far. The relative might kill him, even though the death was an accident with no hate behind it. 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.
7 Therefore I am telling you to set apart three cities. Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
8 "If the Lord your God expands your borders as he promised your ancestors and gives you the whole territory he pledged -- 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;
9 You must carefully follow all these commands I am giving you today. Love the Lord your God and live according to his ways. If you do this, then add three more safe cities to the original three. 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:
10 Do this so that an innocent person's blood is not spilled in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Otherwise, you would share in the guilt of that death. 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.
No Refuge for Murderers
Study note
The cities of refuge were only for those who killed accidentally. If someone planned a murder and then fled to a city of refuge, the elders of the murderer's town were to send for them and hand them over for justice.
11 "But suppose someone holds a grudge against a neighbor. He hides and waits for the person, then attacks and kills them. Then he runs to one of these safe cities." 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:
12 The leaders of the killer's town must send for that person. They must bring the killer back. They must hand the killer over to the victim's family to be put to death. 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.
13 Do not feel sorry for that person. You must cleanse Israel of the guilt that comes from murdering innocent people. Then things will go well for you. 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.
Property Boundaries
Study note
Boundary markers set up by previous generations must not be moved. Moving a neighbor's boundary stone was a form of stealing land.
14 "Never move the boundary markers that past ages set up. They mark the land you will receive from the Lord your God. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour'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.
Rules About Witnesses
Study note
One witness was not enough to convict anyone. Two or three witnesses were required. If someone gave false testimony, they were to receive the same punishment the accused would have received. This principle of matching punishment -- life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth -- was meant to discourage false accusations.
15 "A single witness is not enough to prove someone guilty of any crime or offense. A case can only be decided when two or three witnesses confirm the facts. 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.
16 "If someone lies about another person, accusing them of a crime they did not commit, If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
17 both people involved must stand before the Lord, in front of the priests and judges serving at that time. 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;
18 The judges must do a thorough investigation. If they discover the witness lied and gave false testimony, And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
19 punish the liar with the same punishment the accused would have received. This is how you stamp out evil. 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.
20 When others hear what happened, they will be afraid, and nobody will ever try something like that again. And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
21 Show no sympathy: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.