Deuteronomy 19:11
New International Version
But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor, and then flees to one of these cities,

New Living Translation
“But suppose someone is hostile toward a neighbor and deliberately ambushes and murders him and then flees to one of the cities of refuge.

English Standard Version
“But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities,

Berean Standard Bible
If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
“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,

New American Standard Bible
“But if there is a person who hates his neighbor, and waits in ambush for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities,

NASB 1995
“But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities,

NASB 1977
“But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities,

Legacy Standard Bible
“But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes down his life so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities,

Amplified Bible
“But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait and ambush for him and attacks him and strikes him down so that he dies, and the assailant escapes to one of these cities,

Christian Standard Bible
But if someone hates his neighbor, lies in ambush for him, attacks him, and strikes him fatally, and flees to one of these cities,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if someone hates his neighbor, lies in ambush for him, attacks him, and strikes him fatally, and flees to one of these cities,

American Standard Version
But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally so that he dieth, and he flee into one of these cities;

Contemporary English Version
But what if you really do commit murder? Suppose one of you hates a neighbor. So you wait in a deserted place, kill the neighbor, and run to a Safe Town.

English Revised Version
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 he flee into one of these cities:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Suppose someone hates another person, waits in ambush for him, attacks him, takes his life, and runs to one of these cities.

Good News Translation
"But suppose you deliberately murder your enemy in cold blood and then escape to one of those cities for protection.

International Standard Version
"However, if a person hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, and attacks him so that he dies, and then he flees to one of those cities,

Majority Standard Bible
If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,

NET Bible
However, suppose a person hates someone else and stalks him, attacks him, kills him, and then flees to one of these cities.

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

Webster's Bible Translation
But if any man shall hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally, that he dieth, and he shall flee into one of these cities:

World English Bible
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;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And when a man is hating his neighbor, and has lain in wait for him, and risen against him, and struck his life, and he has died, then he has fled to one of these cities,

Young's Literal Translation
'And when a man is hating his neighbour, and hath lain in wait for him, and risen against him, and smitten him -- the life, and he hath died, and he hath fled unto one of these cities,

Smith's Literal Translation
And if there shall be a man hating his friend and lying in wait for him, and he rose up against him and smote him in soul, and he died, and he fled to one of these cities:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if any man hating his neighbour, lie in wait for his life, and rise and strike him, and he die, and he flee to one of the cities aforesaid,

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if anyone, having hatred for his neighbor, will have lain in ambush for his life, and, rising up, will have struck him, and he will have died, and if he will have fled to one of the cities stated above,

New American Bible
However, if someone, hating a neighbor, lies in wait, attacks, and strikes the neighbor dead, and then flees to one of these cities,

New Revised Standard Version
But if someone at enmity with another lies in wait and attacks and takes the life of that person, and flees into one of these cities,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and attack him, and smite him mortally so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if there shall be a man hating his neighbor and he will ambush him and rise up upon him and will strike him and he will die, and he will flee into one of these towns:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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 he flee into one of these cities;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But if there should be in thee a man hating his neighbour, and he should lay wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him, that he die, and he should flee to one of these cities,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cities of Refuge
10Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. 11If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, 12the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.…

Cross References
Numbers 35:16-21
If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. / Or if anyone has in his hand a stone of deadly size, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. / If anyone has in his hand a deadly object of wood, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. ...

Exodus 21:12-14
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. / If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. / But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

Joshua 20:3-5
so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood. / When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them. / Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice.

Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.

1 Kings 2:5-6
Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. / So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

2 Samuel 3:27
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.

2 Samuel 20:10
Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.

1 Kings 2:31-34
And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed. / The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. / Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.” ...

Matthew 5:21-22
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ / But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

Romans 13:9
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 19:18
“Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,

Mark 10:19
You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”

Luke 18:20
You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’”

Acts 7:24
And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.

Acts 28:4
When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”


Treasury of Scripture

But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and flees into one of these cities:

but if any

Deuteronomy 27:24
Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Genesis 9:6
Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Exodus 21:12-14
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death…

mortally [heb] in life

Jump to Previous
Assaults Attack Attacks Blow Causing Cities Death Die Dies Dieth Hate Hates Hating Kills Lie Makes Mortally Neighbor Neighbour Rise Rises Secretly Smite Strike Strikes Towns Wait Waiting Wounds
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Assaults Attack Attacks Blow Causing Cities Death Die Dies Dieth Hate Hates Hating Kills Lie Makes Mortally Neighbor Neighbour Rise Rises Secretly Smite Strike Strikes Towns Wait Waiting Wounds
Deuteronomy 19
1. The cities of refuge
4. The privilege thereof for the manslayer
14. The landmark is not to be removed
15. At least two witnesses are required
16. the punishment of a false witness














But if someone hates his neighbor
The phrase "hates his neighbor" is rooted in the Hebrew word "שָׂנֵא" (sane), which conveys a deep-seated animosity or hostility. In the context of ancient Israel, this hatred is not merely an emotional dislike but a willful decision to act against the well-being of another. The commandment to love one's neighbor (Leviticus 19:18) is foundational in the Mosaic Law, and this phrase highlights a direct violation of that command. Theologically, this hatred is seen as a precursor to sin, echoing Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:21-22, where harboring anger is equated with murder in the heart.

lies in wait for him
"Lies in wait" translates from the Hebrew "אָרַב" (arab), indicating premeditation and deceit. This phrase suggests a calculated and intentional act, contrasting with accidental harm. In the historical context, cities of refuge were established to protect those who killed unintentionally, but this phrase underscores the deliberate nature of the crime, disqualifying the perpetrator from such protection. It reflects the biblical principle that God judges not only actions but the intentions of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

attacks him
The word "attacks" comes from the Hebrew "קוּם" (qum), meaning to rise up against. This implies an aggressive and confrontational action, moving from internal hatred to external violence. In the scriptural narrative, this progression from thought to action is a common theme, illustrating the destructive path of sin when left unchecked. The act of attacking is a breach of the peace and order that God desires for His people, as seen in the broader context of the Mosaic Law, which emphasizes justice and community harmony.

and strikes him fatally
"Strikes him fatally" is derived from the Hebrew "נָכָה" (nakah), meaning to smite or kill. This phrase indicates the culmination of the premeditated hatred and attack, resulting in death. The fatal outcome signifies the ultimate consequence of unchecked sin and hatred. Biblically, life is sacred, created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and the taking of life is a grave offense. This phrase underscores the seriousness of murder and the need for justice, as life is a gift from God and should be protected.

and he flees to one of these cities
The cities referred to are the cities of refuge, established by God as part of the legal system in Israel (Numbers 35:9-15). These cities provided asylum for those who killed unintentionally, allowing for a fair trial. However, the inclusion of this phrase in the context of premeditated murder highlights the abuse of this provision. It serves as a warning against exploiting God's mercy and justice. Historically, these cities symbolize God's provision for justice tempered with mercy, reflecting His character as both just and compassionate. Theologically, it points to the ultimate refuge found in Christ, who offers forgiveness and redemption for all who seek Him with a repentant heart.

Verses 11-13. - These cities, however, were not to be places of refuge for murderers, for those who from hatred and with wicked intent had slain others; if such fled to one of these cities, they were not to be suffered to remain there; the elders of their own city were to require them to be delivered up, that the avenger might put them to death (Numbers 35:16-33, etc.). In the earlier legislation, it is enacted that the congregation shall judge in such matters, and that by their decision it should be determined in any case whether the person who had slain another was to be allowed to remain in a city of refuge or be delivered over to the avenger of blood. With this the ordinance here is not inconsistent; the elders were not to act as judges, but merely as magistrates, to apprehend the man and bring him to trial.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If, however,
וְכִֽי־ (wə·ḵî-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

a man
אִישׁ֙ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

hates
שֹׂנֵ֣א (śō·nê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8130: To hate

his neighbor
לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ (lə·rê·‘ê·hū)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

and lies in wait,
וְאָ֤רַב (wə·’ā·raḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 693: To lie in wait

attacks
וְקָ֣ם (wə·qām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

him
עָלָ֔יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

and kills him,
וְהִכָּ֥הוּ (wə·hik·kā·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

and then flees
וְנָ֕ס (wə·nās)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

one
אַחַ֖ת (’a·ḥaṯ)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 259: United, one, first

of these
הָאֵֽל׃ (hā·’êl)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 411: These, those

cities,
הֶעָרִ֥ים (he·‘ā·rîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 19:11 But if any man hate his neighbor (Deut. De Du)
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