Deu 19 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Deut 19:1-13: 19:1-13 Cities of refuge (19:2 ) were strategically located throughout the land so those accused of homicide could find protective sanctuary until their cases came to trial (see 4:41 ; Num 35:6-29 ).

Summary for Deut 19:1-13: 19:1-13 ^a Cities of refuge (19:2 ^b) were strategically located throughout the land so those accused of homicide could find protective sanctuary until their cases came to trial (see 4:41 ^c; Num 35:6-29 ^d).
19:2 ^e The three cities were those in Canaan, west of the Jordan; there were three more in Transjordan (see Num 35:13-14 ^f; Josh 20:7 ^g).
19:4 ^h A slayer who kills ... unintentionally does not plan ahead of time to commit the act (see 17:8 ⁱ).
19:6 ^j avenger (literally the redeemer of blood): The law allowed murder to be avenged by members of the victim’s family. When they found the killer, they could put him to death (Num 35:16-21 ^k). The idea was that blood shed by the victim must be paid for by the blood of the person responsible for the act (see Gen 4:15 ^l; 9:6 ^m). In this way, the land polluted by the shed blood could be purified (Num 35:33-34 ⁿ).
19:9 ^o If Israel proved faithful to the covenant (19:8 ^p), God would grant the nation even more territory, so much so that three additional cities of refuge would be needed. Sadly, this need never arose because of Israel’s disobedience to the Lord.
19:11 ^q The Hebrew term rendered is hostile (literally is a hater) indicates a constant and long-standing hateful attitude, which constituted evidence that the killer was predisposed to commit a crime and therefore probably did it.
19:13 ^r Purge (literally burn): The only way for the land to be free of culpability in matters of homicide was for blood vengeance to be enacted, which would burn out the impurity. See also 13:5 ^s; 17:12 ^t.
19:15 ^u The word of one witness alone would count no more than the word of the accused. However, two or three witnesses would confirm or discount each other’s testimony. For New Testament references to this law, see Matt 18:15-20 ^v; John 8:17-18 ^w; 2 Cor 13:1-2 ^x and study note.
19:21 ^y The legal principle described as life for life is known as lex talionis (“law of retaliation”), according to which the punishment must fit the crime (see Exod 21:23 ^z; Lev 24:20 ^aa); it should be neither too lenient nor too severe. Appropriate punishment is a necessary function of government (cp. Rom 13:1-7 ^ab), and it served to maintain Israel’s spiritual integrity as God’s people (see study note on Deut 17:7). But vengeance belongs to God, not individuals (see 1 Sam 25:26 ^ac, 33 ^ad; Matt 5:38-39 ^ae; 1 Cor 6:1-8 ^af).