Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. New Living Translation In that case, the elders of the murderer’s hometown must send agents to the city of refuge to bring him back and hand him over to the dead person’s avenger to be put to death. English Standard Version then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die. Berean Standard Bible the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. King James Bible 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. New King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible then the elders of his city shall send men and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die. NASB 1995 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. NASB 1977 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Legacy Standard Bible then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and give him over into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Amplified Bible then the elders of his own city shall send for him and have him taken back from there and turn him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may be put to death. Christian Standard Bible the elders of his city are to send for him, take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood and he will die. Holman Christian Standard Bible the elders of his city must send for him, take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood and he will die. American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version If that happens, the leaders of your town must send messengers to bring you back from the Safe Town. They will hand you over to one of the victim's relatives, who will put you to death. English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation If someone does this, the leaders of your city must send for that person. They must take him from that city and hand him over to the relative who has the authority to avenge the death. He must die. Good News Translation In that case, the leaders of your own town are to send for you and hand you over to the relative responsible for taking revenge for the murder, so that you may be put to death. International Standard Version then the elders of his own city shall send for him, remove him from there, and deliver him to the related avenger for execution. Majority Standard Bible the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. NET Bible The elders of his own city must send for him and remove him from there to deliver him over to the blood avenger to die. New Heart English Bible then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Webster's Bible Translation Then the elders of his city shall send and bring him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. World English Bible then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand [the] elderly of his city have sent and taken him from there, and given him into the hand of the redeemer of blood, and he has died; Young's Literal Translation then the elders of his city have sent and taken him from thence, and given him into the hand of the redeemer of blood, and he hath died; Smith's Literal Translation And the old men of his city sent and took him from there and gave him into the hand of the nearest relative of blood, and he died. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe ancients of his city shall send, and take him out of the place of refuge, and shall deliver him into the hand of the kinsman of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die. Catholic Public Domain Version the elders of his city shall send, and they shall take him from the place of refuge, and they shall deliver him into the hand of the relative of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die. New American Bible the elders of the killer’s own city shall send and have the killer taken from there, to be handed over to the avenger of blood and slain. New Revised Standard Version then the elders of the killer’s city shall send to have the culprit taken from there and handed over to the avenger of blood to be put to death. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen the elders of his city shall send and fetch him from there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, and he shall slay him. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The Elders of his town shall send and they shall take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood and they shall kill him. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917then 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. Brenton Septuagint Translation then shall the elders of his city send, and take him thence, and they shall deliver him into the hands of the avengers of blood, and he shall die. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Cities of Refuge…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. 13You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.… Cross References Numbers 35:19-21 The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him. / Likewise, if anyone maliciously pushes another or intentionally throws an object at him and kills him, / or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood finds the murderer, he is to kill him. Joshua 20:3-6 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. ... 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. Numbers 35:24-25 then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances. / The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. 1 Kings 2:28-34 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar. / It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar.” So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down!” / And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, “This is how Joab answered me.” ... Numbers 35:11-12 designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there. / You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly. Leviticus 24:17 And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death. 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. Romans 13:4 For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer. 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. Acts 25:11 If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” Hebrews 10:28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer. Matthew 26:52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Revelation 13:10 “If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints. Treasury of Scripture Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 1 Kings 2:5,6,28-34 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet… Jump to Previous Avenger Blood City Death Deliver Die Died Elders Hand Punishment Redeemer Responsible Right ThenceJump to Next Avenger Blood City Death Deliver Die Died Elders Hand Punishment Redeemer Responsible Right ThenceDeuteronomy 19 1. The cities of refuge4. 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 the elders of his city In ancient Israel, the elders were respected leaders and decision-makers within the community. They were responsible for maintaining justice and order, often serving as judges in legal matters. This reflects the communal nature of Israelite society, where local governance was crucial. The role of elders is seen throughout the Old Testament, such as in Ruth 4:2, where they witness Boaz's redemption of Ruth, and in Numbers 11:16, where they assist Moses in leading the people. must send for him bring him back and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die Persons / Places / Events 1. Elders of the CityThese are the leaders or judges responsible for maintaining justice and order within the community. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the laws given by God are upheld. 2. The City of Refuge Although not directly mentioned in this verse, the context involves cities of refuge where someone who committed unintentional manslaughter could flee for safety until a fair trial. 3. Avenger of Blood This person is typically a close relative of the deceased, responsible for ensuring justice by avenging the death of their family member, according to ancient customs. 4. The Accused The individual who has fled to the city of refuge after committing manslaughter, seeking protection from the avenger of blood. 5. The Act of Deliverance The process by which the elders hand over the accused to the avenger of blood if found guilty of intentional murder. Teaching Points Justice and MercyThe system of cities of refuge highlights the balance between justice and mercy. While justice demands accountability, mercy provides protection for those who acted unintentionally. Role of Community Leaders The elders' responsibility underscores the importance of wise and fair leadership in maintaining justice. Leaders today are called to uphold truth and righteousness in their communities. God's Provision for Safety The cities of refuge symbolize God's provision for safety and due process, reminding us of His care for both justice and compassion. The Seriousness of Life and Death This passage reflects the gravity of taking a life and the serious consequences that follow, urging us to value and respect life as God does. Forgiveness and Vengeance While the Old Testament law allowed for an avenger of blood, the New Testament calls believers to forgive and trust God for ultimate justice, challenging us to live out this principle in our lives. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew the eldersזִקְנֵ֣י (ziq·nê) Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 2205: Old of his city עִיר֔וֹ (‘î·rōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement must send for him, וְשָֽׁלְחוּ֙ (wə·šā·lə·ḥū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out bring וְלָקְח֥וּ (wə·lā·qə·ḥū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3947: To take him אֹת֖וֹ (’ō·ṯōw) Direct object marker | third person masculine singular Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case back, מִשָּׁ֑ם (miš·šām) Preposition-m | Adverb Strong's 8033: There, then, thither and hand him over to וְנָתְנ֣וּ (wə·nā·ṯə·nū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 5414: To give, put, set the avenger גֹּאֵ֥ל (gō·’êl) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct Strong's 1350: To redeem, act as kinsman of blood הַדָּ֖ם (had·dām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed to die. וָמֵֽת׃ (wā·mêṯ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 4191: To die, to kill Links Deuteronomy 19:12 NIVDeuteronomy 19:12 NLT Deuteronomy 19:12 ESV Deuteronomy 19:12 NASB Deuteronomy 19:12 KJV Deuteronomy 19:12 BibleApps.com Deuteronomy 19:12 Biblia Paralela Deuteronomy 19:12 Chinese Bible Deuteronomy 19:12 French Bible Deuteronomy 19:12 Catholic Bible OT Law: Deuteronomy 19:12 Then the elders of his city shall (Deut. 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