Cities of Refuge (Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Joshua 20:1–9)
1 DRA When the Lord thy God hath destroyed the nations, whose land he will deliver to thee, and thou shalt possess it, and shalt dwell in the cities and houses thereof: BSB BSB: When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,
2 DRA Thou shalt separate to thee three cities in the midst of the land, which the Lord will give thee in possession, BSB BSB: then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
3 DRA Paving diligently the way: and thou shalt divide the whole province of thy land equally into three parts: that he who is forced to flee for manslaughter, may have near at hand whither to escape. BSB BSB: You are to build roads for yourselves and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities.
4 DRA This shall be the law of the slayer that fleeth, whose life is to be saved: He that killeth his neighbour ignorantly, and who is proved to have had no hatred against him yesterday and the day before: BSB BSB: Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him:
5 DRA But to have gone with him to the wood to hew wood, and in cutting down the tree the axe slipped out of his hand, and the iron slipping from the handle struck his friend, and killed him: he shall flee to one of the cities aforesaid, and live: BSB BSB: If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.
6 DRA Lest perhaps the next kinsman of him whose blood was shed, pushed on by his grief should pursue, and apprehend him. if the way be too long, and take away the life of him who is not guilty of death, because he is proved to have had no hatred before against him that was slain. BSB BSB: Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.
7 DRA Therefore I command thee, that thou separate three cities at equal distance one from another. BSB BSB: This is why I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.
8 DRA And when the Lord thy God shall have enlarged thy borders, as he swore to thy fathers, and shall give thee all the land that he promised them, BSB BSB: And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them,
9 DRA (Yet so, if thou keep his commandments, and do the things which I command thee this day, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways at all times) thou shalt add to thee other three cities, and shalt double the number of the three cities aforesaid: BSB BSB: and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.
10 DRA That innocent blood may not be shed in the midst of the land which the Lord thy God will give thee to possess, lest thou be guilty of blood. BSB BSB: Thus 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.
11 DRA 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, BSB BSB: If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,
12 DRA The 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. BSB BSB: the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.
13 DRA Thou shalt not pity him, and thou shalt take away the guilt of innocent blood out of Israel, that it may be well with thee. BSB BSB: You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.
14 DRA Thou shalt not take nor remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which thy predecessors have set in thy possession. which the Lord thy God will give thee in the land that thou shalt receive to possess. BSB BSB: You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
The Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses (Matthew 18:15–20)
15 DRA One witness shall not rise up against any man, whatsoever the sin or wickedness be: but in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand. BSB BSB: 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 DRA If a lying witness stand against a man, accusing him of transgression, BSB BSB: If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,
17 DRA Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days. BSB BSB: 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.
19 DRA They shall render to him as he meant to do to his brother, and thou shalt take away the evil out of the midst of thee: BSB BSB: you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you.
20 DRA That others hearing may fear, and may not dare to do such things. BSB BSB: Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you.
21 DRA Thou shalt not pity him, but shalt require life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. BSB BSB: You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.