Deuteronomy 19:5 NIV

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:1-21

Justice for the accused (19:1-21)Three cities of refuge had already been established east of Jordan (see 4:41-43), and three more were to be established west of Jordan (19:1-2). In each of these two regions one city was to be in the north, one in the centre and one in the south, so that a city of refuge was within easy reach of every person in the land, no matter where he lived. All six cities had to have well marked roads leading to them so that the refugee could reach safety quickly (3-7; see... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Deuteronomy 19:5

As when. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6 , one example put for every kind. head. Hebrew = Iron. helve = handle. Hebrew = wood, which may mean the handle or the tree. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 19:1-8

6. Laws arising from the sixth commandment 19:1-22:8The sixth commandment is, "You shall not murder" (Deuteronomy 5:17). The representative laws in this chapter all protected people who were vulnerable for one reason or another. Civil law is in view. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 19:1-13

Manslaughter 19:1-13God revealed the law concerning how the Israelites were to deal with manslayers earlier (cf. Numbers 35:9-34). In Israel this kind of crime was a domestic rather than a law court matter; families were to deal with it rather than the courts. The instructions given here urge application of this law and explain the need for three more cities of refuge west of the Jordan River. Moses had already designated three towns on the east side of the Jordan (Deuteronomy 4:41-43). The... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 19:1-21

The Cities of Refuge. Punishment of Deceit and False Witness1-13. On the Cities of Refuge see Numbers 35:9-34 and notes there. 2. In the midst of thy land] Those on the E. side of the Jordan have already been assigned: see on Deuteronomy 4:41-43. 3. Prepare thee a way] It was the duty of the Sanhedrim, or chief council of the Jews, to maintain the roads to these cities in good repair, and to have finger-posts where necessary with the words ’Refuge, Refuge’ inscribed upon them, so as to afford... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Deuteronomy 19:1-13

Deuteronomy 19:1-13. THE CITIES OF REFUGE.(See for more on this subject, Numbers 35:9, &c.; Joshua 20:0) (1) When the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations.—We find that the three cities of refuge on the west of Jordan were appointed by Joshua after the conquest (Joshua 20:0). The first three on the east of Jordan, namely, Bezer, Ramoth-Gilead, and Golan, had already been selected by Moses (Deuteronomy 4:41, &c), but Joshua assigned them to their Levitical possessors.(3) Thou shalt... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:1-21

THE ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ISRAELITE LIFEIT has often and justly been said that the life of Israel is so entirely founded on the grace and favor of God that no distinction is made between the secular and the religious laws. Whatever their origin may have been, whether they had been part of the tribal constitution before Moses’ day or not, they were all regarded as Divinely given. They had been accepted as fit building stones for the great edifice of that national life in which God was to reveal... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Deuteronomy 19:1-21

15. Laws for Israel in the Land CHAPTER 19 1. Concerning the cities of refuge (Deuteronomy 19:1-13 ) 2. Removing a landmark (Deuteronomy 19:14 ) 3. The punishment of a false witness (Deuteronomy 19:15-21 ) Here again we have not a repetition of the previous law concerning the cities of refuge (Numbers 35:9-34 ), but an earnest admonition to be obedient to those laws. The three cities on the east of Jordan were named in chapter 4. Here the other three in the midst of the land are in... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Deuteronomy 19:5

19:5 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 {c} shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:(c) That murder not be committed on murder. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 19:1-21

CITIES OF REFUGE (vs.1-13) We have seen in Deuteronomy 4:41-43 that Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan as cities of refuge. Now Moses gives instructions to Israel that, when God should cut off the nations of the land and Israel was established there, they should separate three cities on that side of Jordan, each in a distinct area, as cities of refuge (vs.1-2). They were to divide the land into three parts on that side of Jordan, with roads that would be helpful in denoting the... read more