Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 19:15-21

Cities of Refuge, Boundary Markers, and Faithful Witnesses

Cities of refuge protect the innocent slayer from wrongful death; the boundary statute guards every family's covenantal inheritance; the witness laws purge false accusation and ensure that the punishment the perjurer intended falls on himself instead.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15 A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

16 If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,

17 both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.

18 The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,

19 you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you.

20 Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you.

21 You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

A lone אֶחָ֜ד H259 Number - masculine singular witness עֵ֨ד H5707 Noun - masculine singular is not sufficient לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to establish יָקוּם֩ H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular any לְכָל־ H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct wrongdoing עָוֺן֙ H5771 Noun - common singular [or] וּלְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct sin חַטָּ֔את H2403 Noun - feminine singular against a man בְּאִ֗ישׁ H376 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular regardless of what בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct offense חֵ֖טְא H2399 Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative he may have committed יֶֽחֱטָ֑א H2398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular A matter דָּבָֽר׃ H1697 Noun - masculine singular must be established יָק֥וּם H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular by עַל־ H5921 Preposition the testimony פִּ֣י׀ H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct of two שְׁנֵ֣י H8147 Number - masculine dual construct or א֛וֹ H176 Conjunction . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . פִּ֥י H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct three שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־ H7969 Number - masculine singular . . . עֵדִ֖ים H5707 Noun - masculine plural witnesses עֵדִ֗ים H5707 Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Cited in Matthew 18:16 and 2 Corinthians 13:1
Verse 16

Original words

If כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction . . . יָק֥וּם H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular a false חָמָ֖ס H2555 Noun - masculine singular witness עֵד־ H5707 Noun - masculine singular construct testifies לַעֲנ֥וֹת H6030 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct against בּ֖וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular someone בְּאִ֑ישׁ H376 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular accusing him of a crime סָרָֽה׃ H5627 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

both שְׁנֵֽי־ H8147 Number - masculine dual construct parties הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים H582 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative to the dispute הָרִ֖יב H7379 Article | Noun - masculine singular must stand וְעָמְד֧וּ H5975 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural in the presence לִפְנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct of the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular before לִפְנֵ֤י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct the priests הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ H3548 Article | Noun - masculine plural and judges וְהַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔ים H8199 Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural who אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative are [in office] יִהְי֖וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural at that הָהֵֽם׃ H1992 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine plural time בַּיָּמִ֥ים H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 18

Original words

The judges הַשֹּׁפְטִ֖ים H8199 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural shall investigate וְדָרְשׁ֥וּ H1875 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural thoroughly הֵיטֵ֑ב H3190 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute and if וְהִנֵּ֤ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection the witness עֵֽד־ H5707 Noun - masculine singular construct is proven to be a liar שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ H8267 Noun - masculine singular . . . הָעֵ֔ד H5707 Article | Noun - masculine singular who has falsely שֶׁ֖קֶר H8267 Noun - masculine singular accused עָנָ֥ה H6030 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular his brother בְאָחִֽיו׃ H251 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

you must do וַעֲשִׂ֣יתֶם H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural to him ל֔וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative he intended זָמַ֖ם H2161 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to do לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct to his brother לְאָחִ֑יו H251 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular So you must purge וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ H1197 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular the evil הָרָ֖ע H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine singular from among you מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃ H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in 1 Corinthians 5:13
Verse 20

Original words

Then the rest [of the people] וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים H7604 Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural will hear יִשְׁמְע֣וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and be afraid וְיִרָ֑אוּ H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural and they will never וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle again יֹסִ֨פוּ H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . ע֗וֹד H5750 Adverb do לַעֲשׂ֜וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct anything כַּדָּבָ֥ר H1697 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular so הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular evil הָרָ֛ע H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine singular among you בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ׃ H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

You must show no pity וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle . . . תָח֖וֹס H2347 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . עֵינֶ֑ךָ H5869 Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine singular life נֶ֣פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular for life בְּנֶ֗פֶשׁ H5315 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular eye עַ֤יִן H5869 Noun - common singular for eye בְּעַ֙יִן֙ H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular tooth שֵׁ֣ן H8127 Noun - common singular for tooth בְּשֵׁ֔ן H8127 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular hand יָ֥ד H3027 Noun - feminine singular for hand בְּיָ֖ד H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular [and] foot רֶ֥גֶל H7272 Noun - feminine singular for foot בְּרָֽגֶל׃ס H7272 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Matthew 5:38

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.