The Fifth Book of Moses: Deuteronomy

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 19 -

(Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Joshua 20:1–9)

When the Lord thy God shall roote out the nations, whose lande the Lord thy God giueth thee, and thou shalt possesse them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses,

Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the middes of thy lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.

Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and deuide the coastes of the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite, into three parts, that euery manslayer may flee thither.

This also is ye cause wherfore the manslayer shall flee thither, and liue: who so killeth his neighbor ignorantly, and hated him not in time passed:

As hee that goeth vnto the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand striketh with the axe to cut downe the tree, if the head slip from the helue, and hit his neighbour that he dieth, the same shall flee vnto one of the cities, and liue,

Least the auenger of the blood follow after the manslayer, while his heart is chafed, and ouertake him, because the way is long, and slaie him, although he be not worthy of death, because he hated him not in time passed.

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

And when the Lord thy God enlargeth thy coastes (as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers) and giueth thee all the lande which he promised to giue vnto thy fathers,

(If thou keepe all these commandements to doe them, which I commaund thee this day: to wit, that thou loue the Lord thy God, and walke in his waies for euer) then shalt thou adde three cities moe for thee besides those three,

That innocent bloude be not shed within thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite, lest bloud be vpon thee.

But if a man hate his neighbour, and lay waite for him, and rise against him, and smite any man that he die, and flee vnto any of these cities,

Then the Elders of his citie shall send and set him thence, and deliuer him into the hands of the auenger of the blood, that he may die.

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

Thou shalt not remooue thy neighbours marke, which they of olde time haue set in thine inheritance, that thou shalt inherite in the lande, which ye Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.

The Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses

(Matthew 18:15–20)

One witnes shall not rise against a man for any trespasse, or for any sinne, or for any fault that hee offendeth in, but at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be stablished.

If a false witnesse rise vp against a man to accuse him of trespasse,

Then both the men which striue together, shall stand before ye Lord, euen before the Priests and the Iudges, which shall be in those daies,

And the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition: and if the witnesse be found false, and hath giuen false witnes against his brother,

Then shall yee doe vnto him as hee had thought to doe vnto his brother: so thou shalt take euil away forth of the middes of thee.

And the rest shall heare this, and feare, and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickednes among you.

Therefore thine eye shall have no compassion, but life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foote for foote.

(Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Joshua 20:1–9)

When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God gives you, and you succeed them and dwell in their cities and in their houses,

you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess.

You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which the LORD your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there.

This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past—

as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live.

Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past.

Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves.

If the LORD your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers;

and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three.

This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you.

But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities;

then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.

You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit, in the land that the LORD your God gives you to possess.

The Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses

(Matthew 18:15–20)

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.

If an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,

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

and the judges shall make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother,

then you shall do to him as he had thought to do to his brother. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

Those who remain shall hear, and fear, and will never again commit any such evil among you.

Your eyes shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.