19Deuteronomy 19

CHAP. XIX. / 1 The Cities of refuge. 4 The priuiledge thereof for the manslayer. 14 The landmarke is not to be remooued. 15 Two witnesses at the least. 16 The punishment of a false witnesse.

1When the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations, whose lande the Lord thy God giueth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses:Select Deuteronomy 19:1

2Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.Select Deuteronomy 19:2

3Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and diuide the coasts of thy land (which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherit) into three parts, that euery slayer may flee thither.Select Deuteronomy 19:3

4And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither, that hee may liue: who so killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past,Select Deuteronomy 19:4

5As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor, to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut downe the tree, and the head slippeth from the helue, and lighteth vpon his neighbour that he die, he shall flee vnto one of those cities, and liue:Select Deuteronomy 19:5

6Lest the auenger of the blood pursue the slaier, while his heart is hot, and ouertake him, because the way is long, and slay him, whereas he was not worthy of death, in as much as hee hated him not in time past.Select Deuteronomy 19:6

7Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.Select Deuteronomy 19:7

8And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast (as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers) and giue thee all the lande which hee promised to giue vnto thy fathers:Select Deuteronomy 19:8

9(If thou shalt keepe all these commandements to doe them, which I command thee this day, to loue the Lord thy God, and to walke euer in his wayes) then shalt thou adde three cities moe for thee, beside these three:Select Deuteronomy 19:9

10That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be vpon thee.Select Deuteronomy 19:10

11But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him, and rise vp against him, and smite him mortally that hee die, and fleeth into one of these Cities:Select Deuteronomy 19:11

12Then the Elders of his citie shall send and fetch him thence, and deliuer him into the hand of the auenger of blood, that he may die.Select Deuteronomy 19:12

13Thine eye shall not pittie him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may goe wel with thee.Select Deuteronomy 19:13

14Thou shalt not remooue thy neighbours land-marke, which they of old time haue set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherite, in the land that the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.Select Deuteronomy 19:14

15One witnesse shall not rise vp against a man for any iniquitie, or for any sinne, in any sinne that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be stablished.Select Deuteronomy 19:15

16If a false witnes rise vp against any man to testifie against him that which is wrong:Select Deuteronomy 19:16

17Then both the men betweene whom the controuersie is, shall stand before the Lord, before the Priests, and the Iudges, which shall be in those dayes.Select Deuteronomy 19:17

18And the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition: and behold, if the witnesse be a false witnesse, and hath testified falsly against his brother:Select Deuteronomy 19:18

19Then shall ye doe vnto him, as he had thought to haue done vnto his brother: so shalt thou put the euil away from among you.Select Deuteronomy 19:19

20And those which remaine shall heare, and feare, and shall hencefoorth commit no more any such euill among you.Select Deuteronomy 19:20

21And thine eye shall not pitie, but life shall goe for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.Select Deuteronomy 19:21