Deuteronomy 19

Safe cities for people who accidentally kill other people

After the Israelites move into Canaan, they should make 3 special cities.  These cities will be safe cities.  These cities are for people who accidentally kill another person. 
[1] 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] Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.


They should divide Canaan into 3 sections.  Each section of Canaan should have a safe city in it.  If someone kills another person but did not hate the other person, he can go stay in the safe city.
[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.
[4] 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;



This is an example.  Two men go to cut wood.  One man swings the ax, and the head of the ax comes off the handle.  The head of the ax hits the second man in the head, and he dies. The first man should go stay in the safe city.
[5] 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:



They should have 3 safe cities so that a safe city is not too far from anyplace in Canaan.  If there was only 1 safe city, it would take longer to get there. A dead person's family might chase the man who accidentally killed their family member. If the safe city is too far away, they might catch the man.  They might kill him.
[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.
[7] Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.



If the Israelites obey God's laws, God will keep His promise. He will give them more land. Then they should make 3 more safe cities. Innocent people can go to the safe cities. Then they won't die. If innocent people die, it makes Israel guilty. 
[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;
[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:
[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.


This is a situation about a man who cannot go to a safe city.  The man hates another man, and he decides to kill him.  After he kills him, he runs away to a safe city. He cannot stay in the safe city because he killed the other man on purpose.  
[11] 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:

The people in the killer's hometown can come and take him out of the safe city. They can take him back and give him to the dead man's family. They should not feel sorry for the killer. He is guilty, and they must get all of the bad people out of their land. 
[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.
[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.

Each family's land will have landmarks around it (rocks to show the lines).

Each person's land will have rocks around the property lines.  No one should ever move the rocks around their neighbor's land. 
[14] 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.

People who are witnesses to crimes

If a person is accused of a crime (someone says he did something wrong against the law), there must be 2 or 3 witnesses.  One witness is not enough.
[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.


Sometimes, a person might be a false witness. He might be lying. He might say a man did something wrong, but really the man did nothing wrong.  It this happens, both men should go to God's special place. They should meet with the priests and judges. 
[16] If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
[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;


The priests and judges will ask questions. They will try to see if the witness is lying or telling the truth. If the witness is lying, he will be punished. He will be punished the same way that the other man would have been punished if he was guilty. 
[18] And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
[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.


The other Israelites will see this. They will be afraid, and they will always tell the truth in court. They should not feel sorry for the man who is punished.  

The punishment should be the same as the crime.  For example, if one person poked out the eye of another person, then his punishment is to lose his eye, too.  If one person knocked out the tooth of another person, then his punishment is to lose his tooth, too.  If one person caused another person to lose his hand, then his punishment is to lose his hand, too. If one person caused another person to lose his foot, then his punishment is to lose his foot, too. 
[20] And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
[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.

Deuteronomy 20


Capturing cities that are not in Canaan


When the Israelites go to fight other people in wars, they will see big armies. They will see the other people with many horses, chariots, and many soldiers.  But they should not be afraid.  God is with the Israelites. God brought them out of Egypt. He will help them.  
[1] When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.



When they go into a war, the priest should talk to the soldiers first.  He should tell the soldiers to be brave.  They should not be afraid, and they should not panic. God is with them. He will help them fight. He will save them. 
[2] And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
[3] And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
[4] For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.



Then the officers will talk to the soldiers. The officers will ask the men if anyone recently built a new house. If a man recently built a new house, but did not dedicate it yet (move in and have a celebration with his friends to thank God for his new home), the man should go home. If the man fights in the war and dies, another man will live in his new house. 
[5] And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.



The officers will ask the men if anyone recently planted a vineyard (a farm of grapes). If a man planted a vineyard but did not eat any of the grapes yet, he should go home.  If the man fights in the war and dies, another man will eat his grapes. 
[6] And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.


The officers will ask the men if anyone is engaged to be married. If a man is engaged but did not get married yet, he should go home. If the man fights in the war and dies, another man will marry his girlfriend.
[7] And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.


The officers will ask the men if anyone is afraid.  If a man is afraid, he should go home.  If he is afraid, then the other men will become afraid, too.  
[8] And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.


After the officers talk to the men, they will choose captains. The captains will help lead the army. 
[9] And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.


When the army arrives at a city, they should first ask the people to surrender (give up).  If the people agree, then the people in the city will become slaves to the Israelites. 
[10] When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
[11] And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.


But if the people in the city say no, the army will surround the city (soldiers make a circle around the city). God will give the city to the Israelites. They should kill every man in the city. They should take all of the women and children with them. They can keep all of the animals and valuable things. They can eat the food from the city. 
[12] And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
[13] And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
[14] But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

Capturing cities that are in Canaan


When the Israelites capture a city that is not in Canaan, they should let the women, children, and animals live. They should only kill the men.  But when they capture a city in Canaan, they should kill every person and animal.
[15] Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
[16] But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

God commands them to kill all of the other groups of people who live in Canaan now.  The names of these groups of people are:  the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. These people worship false gods. If the Israelites do not destroy them, the people might teach the Israelites to worship  false gods, too. 
[17] But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
[18] That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.


Sometimes when the Israelites are capturing a city, it might take a long time. They should not cut down any fruit trees.  They can eat the fruit from these trees.  But they can cut down trees that are not fruit trees. They can use these trees to make bulwarks (things to use in the war).
[19] When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:
[20] Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.

Deuteronomy 21


When a person is murdered, and no one knows who killed him


In this situation, someone finds a dead person out in a field. No one knows who killed the person. 
[1] If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:


The city leaders and judges should come to the field. They should measure how far it is to the nearest cities. 
[2] Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:


When they see which city is closest, the leaders of that city should get a cow. In the past, this cow should not have worked or pulled a plow.  The city leaders should take the cow down into a valley.  The land in the valley should be rough.  No one should have ever planted anything there. Then they should cut off the cow's head 
[3] And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;
[4] And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley:


Some of the priests should come. God has chosen them to do His special work.  They bless others in God's name. They should be the judges in situations like this. 
[5] And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:


The city leaders should wash their hands above the cow. They should pray to God. They should tell God that they did not kill the person. They did not see who killed the person. They should pray for God to be merciful and to  forgive them. The Israelites are special to God.  He brought them out of Egypt.  They pray that He will forgive them now. 
[6] And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
[7] And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
[8] Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.


If they do what God tells them to do, they will not be responsible for the person's death.  
[9] So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

When an Israelite man wants to marry a woman from another group of people


When the Israelites fight a war, God will help them capture the other people. One of the soldiers may see a beautiful woman. He might want to marry her.  
[10] When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,
[11] And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

He should bring the woman home. She must shave off her hair and cut her fingernails. She should not wear her old clothes from her old group of people.  She should wear new Israelite clothes.  She should stay in the house for a month and cry for her parents.  Then the man can marry her. 
[12] Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;
[13] And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

Later on , the man may change his mind. He may want to divorce her.  He should let her go free. He had sexual relations with her, so he cannot sell her to be a slave.  He cannot keep her as a slave.
[14] And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

A man with 2 wives and 2 sons


In this situation, a man has 2 wives. He loves one wife more than the other wife. Both wives have sons.  The wife who is less loved has the son who was born first (the firstborn son).  The wife who is more loved has the second son. In the Israelite times, the firstborn son was special.  The firstborn son inherited more valuable land and things. The husband may want to make his second son special because he loves that wife more. But he cannot make the second son more valuable. The son who was born first must be special.  
[15] If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
[16] Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:


The father should tell everyone that the son of the wife who is less loved is his firstborn son. His firstborn son should receive 2x as much as the other children after the father dies. 
[17] But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

A son who will not obey


In this situation, a family has a son who is stubborn and will not obey. He will not obey his father, and he will not obey his mother. His parents have tried to make him obey, but he will not obey them.  The parents should take the son to the elders (leaders) of the city.  The elders meet at the city gate.  
[18] If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
[19] Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;


The parents should tell the elders that their son is stubborn and will not obey.  They will tell the elders that the son eats and drinks too much and gets drunk.  Then the elders will stone the son. They will throw rocks at him and kill him.  They must put the evil (bad) out of Israel. All of the Israelites will hear about this, and they will be afraid.
[20] And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
[21] And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

A criminal who is hanged on a tree


Sometimes an Israelite will sin, and the other Israelites will hang him on a tree to kill him. After the man on the tree dies, the other Israelites should take his body off the tree. They should bury his body before night.  If the man's dead body stays on the tree all night, it makes the land of Israel unclean. God is giving the land to the Israelites.  They must keep the land holy and clean.

[22] And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
[23] His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.