I intend to consider another description of cities of refuge to fortify the conviction that Genesis 9:5, 6 was God’s description of his own attitude and behavior toward murderers post-flood. He knew his own heart, his own judgments. There was no need for the detail and specificity found later in the law when that duty and authority was actually delegated to human beings. But first I want to consider something gleaned from the previous essay.
If I killed someone unintentionally in ancient Israel, fled to a city of refuge, was found not guilty of murder by the community and lived in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest, I would have kept the law. Likewise, if I murdered someone intentionally in ancient Israel, fled to a city of refuge, was found guilty of murder by the community, was handed over to the avenger of blood and executed, I would have kept the law. But would anyone declare me righteous before God? Or have I simply been brought to the knowledge of sin through the law?
Paul wrote (Romans 3:19, 20 NET):
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For no one is declared righteous (δικαιωθήσεται, a form of δικαιόω) before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
A note (22) in the NET claimed that no one is declared righteous before him was an allusion to Psalm 143:2.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Psalm 143:2 (Tanakh) | Psalm 143:2 (NET) | Psalm 142:2 (NETS) |
Psalm 142:2 (English Elpenor) |
| And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified (יִצְדַּ֖ק). | Do not sit in judgment on your servant, for no one alive is innocent (ṣāḏaq, יצדק) before you. | And do not enter into judgment with your slave, because no one living will be counted righteous (δικαιωθήσεται) before you. | And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no [man] living be justified (δικαιωθήσεται). |
My purpose in this thread is to understand the Old Testament as Jesus understood it: Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’[1] He seemed legitimately surprised by Nicodemus’ ignorance: Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things?[2] John described what it meant to be born from above (John 1:11-13):
[Jesus] came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children—children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.
Paul described some of the results of being born from above (Romans 8:5-14 NET):
God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled (πληρωθῇ, a form of πληρόω) in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but[3] in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him [Table]. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness. Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you [Table].
So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
And Paul continued (Galatians 5:14-24 NET):
For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another [Table]. But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want [Table]. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God [Table]!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,[4] and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law:[5] You shall not murder.[6] It was easy to see how God’s own love springing up to eternal life from his Holy Spirit residing in me could keep me from intentional killing. How the fruit of his Spirit restrained unintentional killing took a bit longer to comprehend. God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control springing up to eternal life also impacts how I work. When I am led by the Holy Spirit I am much less likely to shove someone impatiently or toss something without looking to see where it might land.
I began then to think of OSHA regulations as an attempt to legislate the fruit of the Holy Spirit. My religious mind did the same thing when I turned Paul’s definition of love (ἀγάπη) into rules I tried to obey in my own strength, before I believed that the fruit of the Spirit is the righteousness given by God (Romans 3:21-24 NET).
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed—namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction [Table], for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified (δικαιούμενοι, another form of δικαιόω) freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets, Jesus said. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill (πληρῶσαι, another form of πληρόω) them.[7]
The next description of cities of refuge is found in Deuteronomy.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Deuteronomy 19:1-3 (Tanakh) | Deuteronomy 19:1-3 (NET) | Deuteronomy 19:1-3 (NETS) |
Deuteronomy 19:1-3 (English Elpenor) |
| When HaShem thy G-d shall cut off the nations, whose land HaShem thy G-d giveth thee, and thou dost succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses; | When the Lord your God destroys the nations whose land he is about to give you and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and houses, | Now if the Lord your God annihilates the nations whose land your God is giving you and you dispossess them and live in their cities and in their houses, | And when the Lord thy God shall have destroyed the nations, which God gives thee, [even] the land, and ye shall inherit them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses, |
| thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which HaShem thy GOD giveth thee to possess it. | you must set apart for yourselves three cities in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession. | you shall set apart three cities for yourself in the midst of your land that the Lord your God is giving you. | thou shalt separate for thyself three cities in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God gives thee. |
| Thou shalt prepare (תָּכִ֣ין) thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which HaShem thy G-d causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither. | You shall build (kûn, תכין) a roadway and divide into thirds the whole extent of your land that the Lord your God is providing as your inheritance; anyone who kills another person should flee to the closest of these cities. | Calculate (στόχασαί) for yourself the distance, and you shall divide into three regions your land that the Lord your God apportions you, and there shall be a refuge there for every murderer. | Take a survey (στόχασαί) of thy way, and thou shalt divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God apportions to thee, into three parts, and there shall be there a refuge for every manslayer. |
It is interesting to note that though the NET translators understood תָּכִ֣ין (kûn) as a road building project, the rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood it as στόχασαί (a form of στοχάζω), a calculation of distance or a survey. Six cities of refuge were still the plan but were predicated on Israel’s faith and obedience.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Deuteronomy 19:8, 9 (Tanakh) | Deuteronomy 19:8, 9 (NET) | Deuteronomy 19:8, 9 (NETS) |
Deuteronomy 19:8, 9 (English Elpenor) |
| And if HaShem thy G-d enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which He promised to give unto thy fathers– | If the Lord your God enlarges your borders as he promised your ancestors and gives you all the land he pledged to them, | But if the Lord your God enlarges your borders, as he swore to your fathers, and he gives you all the land that he said he would give your fathers, | And if the Lord shall enlarge thy borders, as he sware to thy fathers, and the Lord shall give to thee all the land which he said he would give to thy fathers; |
| if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love HaShem thy G-d, and to walk ever in His ways—then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three; | and then you are careful to observe all these commandments I am giving you today (namely, to love the Lord your God and to always walk in his ways), then you must add three more cities to these three. | —if you give heed to do all these commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God and to walk in all his ways all the days—then you shall add for yourself three more cities to these three, | if thou shalt hearken to do all these commands, which I charge thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways continually; thou shalt add for thyself yet three cities to these three. |
The law specified again who the cities of refuge were for:
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Deuteronomy 19:4-7 (Tanakh) | Deuteronomy 19:4-7 (NET) | Deuteronomy 19:4-7 (NETS) |
Deuteronomy 19:4-7 (English Elpenor) |
| And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in time past; | Now this is the law pertaining to one who flees there in order to live, if he has accidentally killed another without hating him at the time of the accident. | Now this is the ordinance for a murderer who flees there and shall live: He who strikes his neighbor unintentionally and did not hate him before yesterday or before the third day, | And this shall be the ordinance of the manslayer, who shall flee thither, and shall live, whosoever shall have smitten his neighbour ignorantly, whereas he hated him not in times past. |
| as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live; | Suppose he goes with someone else to the forest to cut wood and when he raises the ax to cut the tree, the ax head flies loose from the handle and strikes his fellow worker so hard that he dies. The person responsible may then flee to one of these cities to save himself. | and he who goes into the forest with his neighbor to gather wood and his hand is knocked aside when he cuts the wood with the ax, and the iron slips from the wood and happens to strike his neighbor, and he dies, this one shall flee to one of these cities and live, | And whosoever shall enter with his neighbour into the thicket, to gather wood, if the hand of him that cuts wood with the axe should be violently shaken, and the axe head falling off from the handle should light on his neighbour, and he should die, he shall flee to one of these cities, and live. |
| lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not deserving of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. | Otherwise the blood avenger will chase after the killer in the heat of his anger, eventually overtake him, [NET note 14: “and overtake him, for the road is long”] and kill him, though this is not a capital case since he did not hate him at the time of the accident. | lest the avenger of blood pursue after the murderer, because his heart is hot, and overtake him—if the road was rather long—and he strike his soul, and he dies, and to this one there is not a death sentence, since he did not hate him before yesterday and before the third day. | Lest the avenger of blood pursue after the slayer, because his heart is hot, and overtake him, if the way be too long, and slay him, though there is to this man no sentence of death, because he hated him not in time past. |
| Wherefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.’ | Therefore, I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities. | Therefore I command you this thing, saying: You shall set apart three cities for yourself. | Therefore I charge thee, saying, Thou shalt separate for thyself three cities. |
Likewise, the law specified who should not be allowed to remain in a city of refuge:
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Deuteronomy 19:11-13 (Tanakh) | Deuteronomy 19:11-13 (NET) | Deuteronomy 19:11-13 (NETS) |
Deuteronomy 19:11-13 (English Elpenor) |
| But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die; and he flee into one of these cities; | However, suppose a person hates someone else and stalks him, attacks him, kills him, and then flees to one of these cities. | But if there be a person hating his neighbor and he lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes his life and he dies and flees into one of these cities, | But if there should be in thee a man hating his neighbour, and he should lay wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him, that he die, and he should flee to one of these cities, |
| then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. | The elders of his own city must send for him and remove him from there to deliver him over to the blood avenger to die. | then the council of elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, and he shall die. | then shall the elders of his city send, and take him thence, and they shall deliver him into the hands of the avengers of blood, and he shall die. |
| Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with thee. | You must not pity him, but purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you. | Your eye shall not be sparing toward him, and you shall cleanse the innocent blood from Israel, and it shall be well with you. | Thine eye shall not spare him; so shalt thou purge innocent blood from Israel, and it shall be well with thee. |
I’ll finish this example and consider one more example in another essay.
A comparison/contrast of the Greek of Romans 3:20a and Psalm 143:2b (142:2b) in the Septuagint follows:
| Romans 3:20a (NET Parallel Greek) | Psalm 143:2b (Septuagint BLB) |
Psalm 142:2b (Septuagint Elpenor) |
| οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ | οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν | οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν |
|
Romans 3:20a (NET) |
Psalm 142:2b (NETS) |
Psalm 142:2b (English Elpenor) |
| no one is declared righteous before him | no one living will be counted righteous before you. | in thy sight shall no [man] living be justified. |
Tables comparing Psalm 143:2; Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 19:1; 19:2; 19:3; 19:8; 19:9; 19:4; 19:5; 19:6; 19:7; 19:11; 19:12 and 19:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 143:2 (142:2); Exodus 20:13 (20:15); Deuteronomy 19:1; 19:2; 19:3; 19:8; 19:19; 19:4; 19:5; 19:6; 19:7; 19:11; 19:12 and 19:13 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Galatians 5:23 in the NET and KJV follow.
| Psalm 143:2 (KJV) | ||
| And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. | And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. | Do not sit in judgment on your servant, for no one alive is innocent before you. |
| καὶ μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς κρίσιν μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου ὅτι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν | καὶ μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς κρίσιν μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου, ὅτι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν |
| And do not enter into judgment with your slave, because no one living will be counted righteous before you. | And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no [man] living be justified. |
| Exodus 20:13 (KJV) | ||
| Thou shalt not murder; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. | Thou shalt not kill. | “You shall not murder. |
| οὐ φονεύσεις | οὐ φονεύσεις |
| You shall not murder. | Thou shalt not kill. |
| Deuteronomy 19:1 (KJV) | ||
| When HaShem thy G-d shall cut off the nations, whose land HaShem thy G-d giveth thee, and thou dost succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses; | When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses; | When the Lord your God destroys the nations whose land he is about to give you and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and houses, |
| ἐὰν δὲ ἀφανίσῃ κύριος ὁ θεός σου τὰ ἔθνη ἃ ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν καὶ κατακληρονομήσητε αὐτοὺς καὶ κατοικήσητε ἐν ταῗς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τοῗς οἴκοις αὐτῶν | ΕΑΝ δὲ ἀφανίσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὰ ἔθνη, ἃ ὁ Θεὸς δίδωσί σοι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν, καὶ κατακληρονομήσητε αὐτοὺς καὶ κατοικήσετε ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις αὐτῶν |
| Now if the Lord your God annihilates the nations whose land your God is giving you and you dispossess them and live in their cities and in their houses, | And when the Lord thy God shall have destroyed the nations, which God gives thee, [even] the land, and ye shall inherit them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses, |
| Deuteronomy 19:2 (KJV) | ||
| thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which HaShem thy GOD giveth thee to possess it. | Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. | you must set apart for yourselves three cities in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession. |
| τρεῗς πόλεις διαστελεῗς σεαυτῷ ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς σου ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι | τρεῖς πόλεις διαστελεῖς σεαυτῷ ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς σου, ἧς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι |
| you shall set apart three cities for yourself in the midst of your land that the Lord your God is giving you. | thou shalt separate for thyself three cities in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God gives thee. |
| Deuteronomy 19:3 (KJV) | ||
| Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which HaShem thy G-d causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither. | Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. | You shall build a roadway and divide into thirds the whole extent of your land that the Lord your God is providing as your inheritance; anyone who kills another person should flee to the closest of these cities. |
| στόχασαί σοι τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ τριμεριεῗς τὰ ὅρια τῆς γῆς σου ἣν καταμερίζει σοι κύριος ὁ θεός σου καὶ ἔσται καταφυγὴ ἐκεῗ παντὶ φονευτῇ | στόχασαί σοι τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ τριμεριεῖς τὰ ὅρια τῆς γῆς σου, ἣν καταμερίζει σοι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, καὶ ἔσται ἐκεῖ καταφυγὴ παντὶ φονευτῇ |
| Calculate for yourself the distance, and you shall divide into three regions your land that the Lord your God apportions you, and there shall be a refuge there for every murderer. | Take a survey of thy way, and thou shalt divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God apportions to thee, into three parts, and there shall be there a refuge for every manslayer. |
| Deuteronomy 19:8 (KJV) | ||
| And if HaShem thy G-d enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which He promised to give unto thy fathers– | And if Jehovah thy God enlarge thy border, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; | If the Lord your God enlarges your borders as he promised your ancestors and gives you all the land he pledged to them, |
| ἐὰν δὲ ἐμπλατύνῃ κύριος ὁ θεός σου τὰ ὅριά σου ὃν τρόπον ὤμοσεν τοῗς πατράσιν σου καὶ δῷ σοι κύριος πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἣν εἶπεν δοῦναι τοῗς πατράσιν σου | ἐὰν δὲ ἐμπλατύνῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὰ ὅριά σου, ὃν τρόπον ὤμοσε τοῖς πατράσι σου, καὶ δῷ σοι Κύριος πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, ἣν εἶπε δοῦναι τοῖς πατράσι σου, |
| But if the Lord your God enlarges your borders, as he swore to your fathers, and he gives you all the land that he said he would give your fathers, | And if the Lord shall enlarge thy borders, as he sware to thy fathers, and the Lord shall give to thee all the land which he said he would give to thy fathers; |
| Deuteronomy 19:9 (KJV) | ||
| if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love HaShem thy G-d, and to walk ever in His ways–then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three; | If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three: | and then you are careful to observe all these commandments I am giving you today (namely, to love the Lord your God and to always walk in his ways), then you must add three more cities to these three. |
| ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς ποιεῗν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον ἀγαπᾶν κύριον τὸν θεόν σου πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῗς ὁδοῗς αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ προσθήσεις σεαυτῷ ἔτι τρεῗς πόλεις πρὸς τὰς τρεῗς ταύτας | ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς ποιεῖν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας, ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, ἀγαπᾶν Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, προσθήσεις σεαυτῷ ἔτι τρεῖς πόλεις πρὸς τὰς τρεῖς ταύτας, |
| —if you give heed to do all these commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God and to walk in all his ways all the days—then you shall add for yourself three more cities to these three, | if thou shalt hearken to do all these commands, which I charge thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways continually; thou shalt add for thyself yet three cities to these three. |
| Deuteronomy 19:4 (KJV) | ||
| And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in time past; | And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; | Now this is the law pertaining to one who flees there in order to live, if he has accidentally killed another without hating him at the time of the accident. |
| τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ φονευτοῦ ὃς ἂν φύγῃ ἐκεῗ καὶ ζήσεται ὃς ἂν πατάξῃ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἀκουσίως καὶ οὗτος οὐ μισῶν αὐτὸν πρὸ τῆς ἐχθὲς καὶ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης | τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ φονευτοῦ, ὃς ἂν φύγῃ ἐκεῖ καὶ ζήσεται· ὃς ἂν πατάξῃ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰδὼς καὶ οὗτος οὐ μισῶν αὐτὸν πρὸ τῆς χθὲς καὶ τρίτης |
| Now this is the ordinance for a murderer who flees there and shall live: He who strikes his neighbor unintentionally and did not hate him before yesterday or before the third day, | And this shall be the ordinance of the manslayer, who shall flee thither, and shall live, whosoever shall have smitten his neighbour ignorantly, whereas he hated him not in times past. |
| Deuteronomy 19:5 (KJV) | ||
| as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live; | As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: | Suppose he goes with someone else to the forest to cut wood and when he raises the ax to cut the tree, the ax head flies loose from the handle and strikes his fellow worker so hard that he dies. The person responsible may then flee to one of these cities to save himself. |
| καὶ ὃς ἂν εἰσέλθῃ μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον εἰς τὸν δρυμὸν συναγαγεῗν ξύλα καὶ ἐκκρουσθῇ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ τῇ ἀξίνῃ κόπτοντος τὸ ξύλον καὶ ἐκπεσὸν τὸ σιδήριον ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τύχῃ τοῦ πλησίον καὶ ἀποθάνῃ οὗτος καταφεύξεται εἰς μίαν τῶν πόλεων τούτων καὶ ζήσεται | καὶ ὃς ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃ μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον εἰς τὸν δρυμὸν συναγαγεῖν ξύλα, καὶ ἐκκρουσθῇ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ τῇ ἀξίνῃ κόπτοντος τὸ ξύλον, καὶ ἐκπεσὸν τὸ σιδήριον ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τύχῃ τοῦ πλησίον, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, οὗτος καταφεύξεται εἰς μίαν τῶν πόλεων τούτων καὶ ζήσεται |
| and he who goes into the forest with his neighbor to gather wood and his hand is knocked aside when he cuts the wood with the ax, and the iron slips from the wood and happens to strike his neighbor, and he dies, this one shall flee to one of these cities and live, | And whosoever shall enter with his neighbour into the thicket, to gather wood, if the hand of him that cuts wood with the axe should be violently shaken, and the axe head falling off from the handle should light on his neighbour, and he should die, he shall flee to one of these cities, and live. |
| Deuteronomy 19:6 (KJV) | ||
| lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not deserving of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. | Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. | Otherwise the blood avenger will chase after the killer in the heat of his anger, eventually overtake him, and kill him, though this is not a capital case since he did not hate him at the time of the accident. |
| ἵνα μὴ διώξας ὁ ἀγχιστεύων τοῦ αἵματος ὀπίσω τοῦ φονεύσαντος ὅτι παρατεθέρμανται τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ καταλάβῃ αὐτόν ἐὰν μακροτέρα ᾖ ἡ ὁδός καὶ πατάξῃ αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχήν καὶ ἀποθάνῃ καὶ τούτῳ οὐκ ἔστιν κρίσις θανάτου ὅτι οὐ μισῶν ἦν αὐτὸν πρὸ τῆς ἐχθὲς καὶ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης | ἵνα μὴ διώξας ὁ ἀγχιστεύων τοῦ αἵματος ὀπίσω τοῦ φονεύσαντος, ὅτι παρατεθέρμανται τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ καταλάβῃ αὐτόν, ἐὰν μακροτέρα ᾖ ἡ ὁδός, καὶ πατάξῃ αὐτοῦ ψυχήν, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, καὶ τούτῳ οὐκ ἔστι κρίσις θανάτου, ὅτι οὐ μισῶν ἦν αὐτὸν πρὸ τῆς χθές, οὐδὲ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης |
| lest the avenger of blood pursue after the murderer, because his heart is hot, and overtake him—if the road was rather long—and he strike his soul, and he dies, and to this one there is not a death sentence, since he did not hate him before yesterday and before the third day. | Lest the avenger of blood pursue after the slayer, because his heart is hot, and overtake him, if the way be too long, and slay him, though there is to this man no sentence of death, because he hated him not in time past. |
| Deuteronomy 19:7 (KJV) | ||
| Wherefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.’ | Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee. | Therefore, I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities. |
| διὰ τοῦτο ἐγώ σοι ἐντέλλομαι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο λέγων τρεῗς πόλεις διαστελεῗς σεαυτῷ | διὰ τοῦτο ἐγώ σοι ἐντέλλομαι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο λέγων· τρεῖς πόλεις διαστελεῖς σεαυτῷ |
| Therefore I command you this thing, saying: You shall set apart three cities for yourself. | Therefore I charge thee, saying, Thou shalt separate for thyself three cities. |
| Deuteronomy 19:11 (KJV) | ||
| But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die; and he flee into one of these cities; | But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: | However, suppose a person hates someone else and stalks him, attacks him, kills him, and then flees to one of these cities. |
| ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἄνθρωπος μισῶν τὸν πλησίον καὶ ἐνεδρεύσῃ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπαναστῇ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ πατάξῃ αὐτοῦ ψυχήν καὶ ἀπεθάνῃ καὶ φύγῃ εἰς μίαν τῶν πόλεων τούτων | ἐὰ[8] δὲ γένηται ἐν σοὶ ἄνθρωπος μισῶν τὸν πλησίον καὶ ἐνεδρεύσῃ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπαναστῇ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν καὶ πατάξῃ αὐτοῦ ψυχήν, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, καὶ φύγῃ εἰς μίαν τῶν πόλεων τούτων |
| But if there be a person hating his neighbor and he lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes his life and he dies and flees into one of these cities, | But if there should be in thee a man hating his neighbour, and he should lay wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him, that he die, and he should flee to one of these cities, |
| Deuteronomy 19:12 (KJV) | ||
| then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. | Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. | The elders of his own city must send for him and remove him from there to deliver him over to the blood avenger to die. |
| καὶ ἀποστελοῦσιν ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ καὶ λήμψονται αὐτὸν ἐκεῗθεν καὶ παραδώσουσιν αὐτὸν εἰς χεῗρας τῷ ἀγχιστεύοντι τοῦ αἵματος καὶ ἀποθανεῗται | καὶ ἀποστελοῦσιν ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ καὶ λήψονται αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν καὶ παραδώσουσιν αὐτὸν εἰς χεῖρας τῶν ἀγχιστευόντων τοῦ αἵματος, καὶ ἀποθανεῖται |
| then the council of elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, and he shall die. | then shall the elders of his city send, and take him thence, and they shall deliver him into the hands of the avengers of blood, and he shall die. |
| Deuteronomy 19:13 (KJV) | ||
| Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with thee. | Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee. | You must not pity him, but purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you. |
| οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ καθαριεῗς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ἐξ Ισραηλ καὶ εὖ σοι ἔσται | οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ καὶ καθαριεῖς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ἐξ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ εὖ σοι ἔσται |
| Your eye shall not be sparing toward him, and you shall cleanse the innocent blood from Israel, and it shall be well with you. | Thine eye shall not spare him; so shalt thou purge innocent blood from Israel, and it shall be well with thee. |
|
Galatians 5:23 (KJV) |
|
| gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. | Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| πραΰτης ἐγκράτεια· κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων οὐκ ἔστιν νόμος | πραοτης εγκρατεια κατα των τοιουτων ουκ εστιν νομος | πραοτης εγκρατεια κατα των τοιουτων ουκ εστιν νομος |
[2] John 3:10 (NET) Table
[3] The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had ἀλλ’.
[4] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πραΰτης here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πραοτης (KJV: Meekness).