Deut.19.1

When GOD, your God, throws the nations out of the country that GOD, your God, is giving you and you settle down in their cities and houses,

Deut.19.1

When the LORD your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses,

Deut.19.1

"When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses,

Deut.19.1

"The LORD your God will soon destroy the nations whose land he is giving you, and you will displace them and settle in their towns and homes.

Deut.19.2

you are to set aside three easily accessible cities in the land that GOD, your God, is giving you as your very own.

Deut.19.2

then set aside for yourselves three cities centrally located in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Deut.19.2

you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Deut.19.2

Then you must set apart three cities of refuge in the land the LORD your God is giving you to occupy.

Deut.19.3

Divide your land into thirds, this land that GOD, your God, is giving you to possess, and build roads to the towns so that anyone who accidentally kills another can flee there.

Deut.19.3

Build roads to them and divide into three parts the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that anyone who kills a man may flee there.

Deut.19.3

You shall prepare roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, that any manslayer may flee there.

Deut.19.3

Divide the land the LORD your God is giving you into three districts, with one of these cities in each district. Keep the roads to these cities in good repair so that anyone who has killed someone can flee there for safety.

Deut.19.4

This is the guideline for the murderer who flees there to take refuge: He has to have killed his neighbor without premeditation and with no history of bad blood between them.

Deut.19.4

This is the rule concerning the man who kills another and flees there to save his life-one who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought.

Deut.19.4

"And this is the case of the manslayer who flees there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, not having hated him in time past--

Deut.19.4

"If someone accidentally kills a neighbor without harboring any previous hatred, the slayer may flee to any of these cities and be safe.

Deut.19.5

For instance, a man goes with his neighbor into the woods to cut a tree; he swings the ax, the head slips off the handle and hits his neighbor, killing him. He may then flee to one of these cities and save his life.

Deut.19.5

For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life.

Deut.19.5

as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies--he shall flee to one of these cities and live;

Deut.19.5

For example, suppose someone goes into the forest with a neighbor to cut wood. And suppose one of them swings an ax and the ax head flies off the handle, killing the other person. In such cases, the slayer could flee to one of the cities of refuge and be safe.

Deut.19.6

If the city is too far away, the avenger of blood racing in hot-blooded pursuit might catch him since it's such a long distance, and kill him even though he didn't deserve it. It wasn't his fault. There was no history of hatred between them.

Deut.19.6

Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought.

Deut.19.6

lest the avenger of blood, while his anger is hot, pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and kill him, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated the victim in time past.

Deut.19.6

If the distance to the nearest city of refuge was too far, an enraged avenger might be able to chase down and kill the person who caused the death. The slayer would die, even though there was no death sentence and the first death had been an accident.

Deut.19.7

Therefore I command you: Set aside the three cities for yourselves.

Deut.19.7

This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

Deut.19.7

Therefore I command you, saying, "You shall separate three cities for yourself.'

Deut.19.7

That is why I am commanding you to set aside three cities of refuge.

Deut.19.8

When GOD, your God, enlarges your land, extending its borders as he solemnly promised your ancestors, by giving you the whole land he promised them

Deut.19.8

If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your forefathers, and gives you the whole land he promised them,

Deut.19.8

"Now if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you the land which He promised to give to your fathers,

Deut.19.8

"If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he solemnly promised your ancestors, and gives you all the land he promised them,

Deut.19.9

because you are diligently living the way I'm commanding you today, namely, to love GOD, your God, and do what he tells you all your life; and when that happens, then add three more to these three cities

Deut.19.9

because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today-to love the LORD your God and to walk always in his ways-then you are to set aside three more cities.

Deut.19.9

and if you keep all these commandments and do them, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and to walk always in His ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three,

Deut.19.9

you must designate three additional cities of refuge. (He will give you this land if you obey all the commands I have given you--if you always love the LORD your God and walk in his ways.)

Deut.19.10

so that there is no chance of innocent blood being spilled in your land. GOD, your God, is giving you this land as an inheritance--you don't want to pollute it with innocent blood and bring bloodguilt upon yourselves.

Deut.19.10

Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.

Deut.19.10

lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus guilt of bloodshed be upon you.

Deut.19.10

That way you will prevent the death of innocent people in the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession, and you will not be held responsible for murder.

Deut.19.11

On the other hand, if a man with a history of hatred toward his neighbor waits in ambush, then jumps him, mauls and kills him, and then runs to one of these cities, that's a different story.

Deut.19.11

But if a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,

Deut.19.11

"But if anyone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises against him and strikes him mortally, so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities,

Deut.19.11

"But suppose someone hates a neighbor and deliberately ambushes and murders that neighbor and then escapes to one of the cities of refuge.

Deut.19.12

The elders of his own city are to send for him and have him brought back. They are to hand him over to the avenger of blood for execution.

Deut.19.12

the elders of his town shall send for him, bring him back from the city, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.

Deut.19.12

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

Deut.19.12

In that case, the leaders of the murderer's hometown must have the murderer brought back from the city of refuge and handed over to the dead person's avenger to be killed.

Deut.19.13

Don't feel sorry for him. Clean out the pollution of wrongful murder from Israel so that you'll be able to live well and breathe clean air. [JC]

Deut.19.13

Show him no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.

Deut.19.13

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

Deut.19.13

Do not feel sorry for that murderer! Purge the guilt of murder from Israel so all may go well with you.

Deut.19.14

Don't move your neighbor's boundary markers, the longstanding landmarks set up by your pioneer ancestors defining their property. [JC]

Deut.19.14

Do not move your neighbor's boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Deut.19.14

"You shall not remove your neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Deut.19.14

"When you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession, never steal someone's land by moving the boundary markers your ancestors set up to mark their property.

Deut.19.15

You cannot convict anyone of a crime or sin on the word of one witness. You need two or three witnesses to make a case.

Deut.19.15

One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Deut.19.15

"One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.

Deut.19.15

"Never convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of just one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Deut.19.16

If a hostile witness stands to accuse someone of a wrong,

Deut.19.16

If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime,

Deut.19.16

If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,

Deut.19.16

If a malicious witness comes forward and accuses someone of a crime,

Deut.19.17

then both parties involved in the quarrel must stand in the Presence of GOD before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.

Deut.19.17

the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time.

Deut.19.17

then both men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.

Deut.19.17

then both the accuser and accused must appear before the priests and judges who are on duty before the LORD.

Deut.19.18

The judges must conduct a careful investigation; if the witness turns out to be a false witness and has lied against his fellow Israelite,

Deut.19.18

The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother,

Deut.19.18

And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother,

Deut.19.18

They must be closely questioned, and if the accuser is found to be lying,

Deut.19.19

give him the same medicine he intended for the other party. Clean the polluting evil from your company.

Deut.19.19

then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you.

Deut.19.19

then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.

Deut.19.19

the accuser will receive the punishment intended for the accused. In this way, you will cleanse such evil from among you.

Deut.19.20

People will hear of what you've done and be impressed; that will put a stop to this kind of evil among you.

Deut.19.20

The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.

Deut.19.20

And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you.

Deut.19.20

Those who hear about it will be afraid to do such an evil thing again.

Deut.19.21

Don't feel sorry for the person: It's life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. [JC]

Deut.19.21

Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deut.19.21

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

Deut.19.21

You must never show pity! Your rule should be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deut.20.1

When you go to war against your enemy and see horses and chariots and soldiers far outnumbering you, do not recoil in fear of them; GOD, your God, who brought you up out of Egypt is with you.

Deut.20.1

When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.

Deut.20.1

"When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

Deut.20.1

"When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The LORD your God, who brought you safely out of Egypt, is with you!

Deut.20.2

When the battle is about to begin, let the priest come forward and speak to the troops.

Deut.20.2

When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army.

Deut.20.2

So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people.

Deut.20.2

Before you go into battle, the priest will come forward to speak with the troops.

Deut.20.3

He'll say, "Attention, Israel. In a few minutes you're going to do battle with your enemies. Don't waver in resolve. Don't fear. Don't hesitate. Don't panic.

Deut.20.3

He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them.

Deut.20.3

And he shall say to them, "Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;

Deut.20.3

He will say, `Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight today! Do not lose heart or panic.

Deut.20.4

GOD, your God, is right there with you, fighting with you against your enemies, fighting to win."

Deut.20.4

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

Deut.20.4

for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'

Deut.20.4

For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!'

Deut.20.5

Then let the officers step up and speak to the troops: "Is there a man here who has built a new house but hasn't yet dedicated it? Let him go home right now lest he die in battle and another man dedicate it.

Deut.20.5

The officers shall say to the army: "Has anyone built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may dedicate it.

Deut.20.5

"Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: "What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.

Deut.20.5

"Then the officers of the army will address the troops and say, `Has anyone just built a new house but not yet dedicated it? If so, go home! You might be killed in the battle, and someone else would dedicate your house!

Deut.20.6

And is there a man here who has planted a vineyard but hasn't yet enjoyed the grapes? Let him go home right now lest he die in battle and another man enjoy the grapes.

Deut.20.6

Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it.

Deut.20.6

Also what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it.

Deut.20.6

Has anyone just planted a vineyard but not yet eaten any of its fruit? If so, go home! You might die in battle, and someone else would eat from it!

Deut.20.7

Is there a man here engaged to marry who hasn't yet taken his wife? Let him go home right now lest he die in battle and another man take her."

Deut.20.7

Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her."

Deut.20.7

And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'

Deut.20.7

Has anyone just become engaged? Well, go home and get married! You might die in the battle, and someone else would marry your fiance.'

Deut.20.8

The officers will then continue, "And is there a man here who is wavering in resolve and afraid? Let him go home right now so that he doesn't infect his fellows with his timidity and cowardly spirit."

Deut.20.8

Then the officers shall add, "Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his brothers will not become disheartened too."

Deut.20.8

"The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.'

Deut.20.8

Then the officers will also say, `Is anyone terrified? If you are, go home before you frighten anyone else.'

Deut.20.9

When the officers have finished speaking to the troops, let them appoint commanders of the troops who shall muster them by units.

Deut.20.9

When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

Deut.20.9

And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.

Deut.20.9

When the officers have finished saying this to their troops, they will announce the names of the unit commanders.

Deut.20.10

When you come up against a city to attack it, call out, "Peace?"

Deut.20.10

When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.

Deut.20.10

"When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it.

Deut.20.10

"As you approach a town to attack it, first offer its people terms for peace.

Deut.20.11

If they answer, "Yes, peace!" and open the city to you, then everyone found there will be conscripted as forced laborers and work for you.

Deut.20.11

If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you.

Deut.20.11

And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you.

Deut.20.11

If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor.

Deut.20.12

But if they don't settle for peace and insist on war, then go ahead and attack.

Deut.20.12

If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city.

Deut.20.12

Now if the city will not make peace with you, but war against you, then you shall besiege it.

Deut.20.12

But if they refuse to make peace and prepare to fight, you must attack the town.

Deut.20.13

GOD, your God, will give them to you. Kill all the men with your swords.

Deut.20.13

When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.

Deut.20.13

And when the LORD your God delivers it into your hands, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword.

Deut.20.13

When the LORD your God hands it over to you, kill every man in the town.

Deut.20.14

But don't kill the women and children and animals. Everything inside the town you can take as plunder for you to use and eat--GOD, your God, gives it to you.

Deut.20.14

As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies.

Deut.20.14

But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you.

Deut.20.14

But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the spoils of your enemies that the LORD your God has given you.

Deut.20.15

This is the way you deal with the distant towns, the towns that don't belong to the nations at hand.

Deut.20.15

This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

Deut.20.15

Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.

Deut.20.15

But these instructions apply only to distant towns, not to the towns of nations nearby.

Deut.20.16

But with the towns of the people that GOD, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, it's different: don't leave anyone alive.

Deut.20.16

However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.

Deut.20.16

"But of the cities of these peoples which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive,

Deut.20.16

"As for the towns of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing in them.

Deut.20.17

Consign them to holy destruction: the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, obeying the command of GOD, your God.

Deut.20.17

Completely destroy them-the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites-as the LORD your God has commanded you.

Deut.20.17

but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the LORD your God has commanded you,

Deut.20.17

You must completely destroy the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, just as the LORD your God has commanded you.

Deut.20.18

This is so there won't be any of them left to teach you to practice the abominations that they engage in with their gods and you end up sinning against GOD, your God.

Deut.20.18

Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.

Deut.20.18

lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the LORD your God.

Deut.20.18

This will keep the people of the land from teaching you their detestable customs in the worship of their gods, which would cause you to sin deeply against the LORD your God.

Deut.20.19

When you mount an attack on a town and the siege goes on a long time, don't start cutting down the trees, swinging your axes against them. Those trees are your future food; don't cut them down. Are trees soldiers who come against you with weapons?

Deut.20.19

When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them?

Deut.20.19

"When you besiege a city for a long time, while making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; if you can eat of them, do not cut them down to use in the siege, for the tree of the field is man's food.

Deut.20.19

"When you are besieging a town and the war drags on, do not destroy the trees. Eat the fruit, but do not cut down the trees. They are not enemies that need to be attacked!

Deut.20.20

The exception can be those trees which don't produce food; you can chop them down and use the timbers to build siege engines against the town that is resisting you until it falls. [JC]

Deut.20.20

However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

Deut.20.20

Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, to build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it is subdued.

Deut.20.20

But you may cut down trees that you know are not valuable for food. Use them to make the equipment you need to besiege the town until it falls.