Deuteronomy 19

1 When the Lord thy God shall roote out the nations, whose lande the Lord thy God giueth thee, and thou shalt possesse them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses,

When the Lord thy God shall have cut off the nations, whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou hast driven them out, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses:

2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the middes of thy lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.

Then shalt thou set apart three cities for thyself, in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

3 Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and deuide the coastes of the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite, into three parts, that euery manslayer may flee thither.

Thou shalt put in order for thyself the [way to them], and divide into three parts the territory of thy land, which the Lord thy God will give thee to inherit, and it shall serve, that every man-slayer may flee thither.

4 This also is ye cause wherfore the manslayer shall flee thither, and liue: who so killeth his neighbor ignorantly, and hated him not in time passed:

And this is the case of the man-slayer, who shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso smiteth his neighbor without knowledge, when he hath not been an enemy to him in time past;

5 As hee that goeth vnto the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand striketh with the axe to cut downe the tree, if the head slip from the helue, and hit his neighbour that he dieth, the same shall flee vnto one of the cities, and liue,

And he that goeth into the forest with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron slippeth from the helve, and striketh his neighbor, that he die: this one shall flee unto one of these cities, and live;

6 Least the auenger of the blood follow after the manslayer, while his heart is chafed, and ouertake him, because the way is long, and slaie him, although he be not worthy of death, because he hated him not in time passed.

That the avenger of the blood pursue not the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him dead; whereas he deserveth not a judgment of death, inasmuch as he was not an enemy to him in time past.

7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt appoint out three cities for thee.

Therefore do I command thee, saying, Three cities shalt thou set apart for thyself.

8 And when the Lord thy God enlargeth thy coastes (as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers) and giueth thee all the lande which he promised to giue vnto thy fathers,

And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy boundary, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he hath spoken to give unto thy fathers;

9 (If thou keepe all these commandements to doe them, which I commaund thee this day: to wit, that thou loue the Lord thy God, and walke in his waies for euer) then shalt thou adde three cities moe for thee besides those three,

Because thou dost keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk in his ways all the days: then shalt thou add for thyself three cities more, unto these three;

10 That innocent bloude be not shed within thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee to inherite, lest bloud be vpon thee.

That innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and blood-guiltiness be brought upon thee.

11 But if a man hate his neighbour, and lay waite for him, and rise against him, and smite any man that he die, and flee vnto any of these cities,

But if any man be an enemy to his neighbor, and he lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally so that he die, and he flee unto one of these cities:

12 Then the Elders of his citie shall send and set him thence, and deliuer him into the hands of the auenger of the blood, that he may die.

Then shall the elders of his city send and fetch him thence, and they shall deliver him into the hand of the avenger of the blood, that he may die.

13 Thine eye shall not spare him, but thou shalt put away the crie of innocent blood from Israel, that it may goe well with thee.

Thy eye shall not look with pity on him; but thou shalt put away the [shedding of] innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.

14 Thou shalt not remooue thy neighbours marke, which they of olde time haue set in thine inheritance, that thou shalt inherite in the lande, which ye Lord thy God giueth thee to possesse it.

Thou shalt not remove the landmark of thy neighbor, which they of old time have set, in thy inheritance which thou shalt inherit, in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

15 One witnes shall not rise against a man for any trespasse, or for any sinne, or for any fault that hee offendeth in, but at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be stablished.

There shall not rise up one single witness against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: upon the evidence of two witnesses, or upon the evidence of three witnesses, must a case be established.

16 If a false witnesse rise vp against a man to accuse him of trespasse,

If a witness of violence rise up against any man to testify against him for any wrong:

17 Then both the men which striue together, shall stand before ye Lord, euen before the Priests and the Iudges, which shall be in those daies,

Then shall both the men, who have the controversy, stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, who shall be in those days;

18 And the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition: and if the witnesse be found false, and hath giuen false witnes against his brother,

And the judges shall inquire diligently; and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, he hath testified a falsehood against his brother:

19 Then shall yee doe vnto him as hee had thought to doe vnto his brother: so thou shalt take euil away forth of the middes of thee.

Then shall ye do unto him, as he had purposed to do unto his brother; and thou shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee.

20 And the rest shall heare this, and feare, and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickednes among you.

And those who remain shall hear, and be afraid, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil thing in the midst of thee.

21 Therefore thine eye shall have no compassion, but life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foote for foote.

And thy eye shall have no pity; but life [shall go] for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.