Deuteronomy 19:11-13
New English Translation
11 However, suppose a person hates someone else[a] and stalks him, attacks him, kills him,[b] and then flees to one of these cities. 12 The elders of his own city must send for him and remove him from there to deliver him over to the blood avenger[c] to die. 13 You must not pity him, but purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood,[d] so that it may go well with you.
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- Deuteronomy 19:11 tn Heb “his neighbor.”
- Deuteronomy 19:11 tn Heb “rises against him and strikes him fatally.”
- Deuteronomy 19:12 tn The גֹאֵל הַדָּם (goʾel haddam, “avenger of blood”) would ordinarily be a member of the victim’s family who, after due process of law, was invited to initiate the process of execution (cf. Num 35:16-28). See R. Hubbard, NIDOTTE 1:789-94.
- Deuteronomy 19:13 sn Purge out the blood of the innocent. Because of the corporate nature of Israel’s community life, the whole community shared in the guilt of unavenged murder unless and until vengeance occurred. Only this would restore spiritual and moral equilibrium (Num 35:33).
Deuteronomy 19:11-13
International Standard Version
Refuse Cold-Blooded Murderers
11 “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, 12 then the elders of his own city are to send for him, remove him from there, and deliver him to the related avenger for execution. 13 Have no pity on him, but totally purge the shedding of innocent blood from Israel so that life may go well with you.”
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