Deuteronômio 19
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Deuteronômio 19:1-3
19:1 "cuts off" This VERB (BDB 503, KB 500, Hiphil IMPERFECT) is used in several senses: to make ("cut") a covenant, Deut. 4:23; 5:2,3; 7:2; 9:9; 29:1,12,14,25; 31:16 remove, destroy, Deut. 12:29; 19:1 (see note at 12:29) cut down (literal, i.e. a tree), Deut. 19:5; 20:19,20 ▣ "whose land the Lord your God gives you" See note at Deut. 1:8. ▣ "settle in their cities" The description of YHWH's activity in accomplishing this task on the eastern side of the Jordan River is seen in Deut. 4:41-43. 19:2,7 "three cities" These were Levitical cities of refuge, discussed in Numbers 35; Joshua 20, where someone accused of murder (i.e. "manslayer") could flee to protect himself from the dead person's relatives (i.e. "blood avenger"). The leaders of these cities were to hold a trial (cf. Deut. 19:11-13) to determine the facts of the case. A list of the cites of refuge is found in Joshua 20:7-8: Trans-jordan Bezer in Reuben Ramoth-Gilead in Gad Golan in Manasseh (Bashan) Canaan Kadesh in Naphtali (Galilee) Shechem in Ephraim Hebron in Judah The idea of a place of safety or refuge was not unique to Israel. Most Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean cultures provided these special places. Usually they were located at religious shrines. Israel also had this concept by one grabbing the "horns of the altar" at a local YHWH altar (cf. Exod. 27:2; 30:10; see Jewish Study Bible, p. 409) or at the central shrine (cf. Exod. 21:14; 1 Kgs. 1:50-53; 2:28-34). However, special cities of refuge were unique to Israel, although other ANE cultures had safe places, usually temples. YHWH was concerned with the death of innocent manslayers. SPECIAL TOPIC: CITIES OF REFUGE 19:3 "prepare the roads" The VERB (BDB 465, KB 464, Hiphil IMPERFECT) here means "prepare a road." There are three possible meanings: equal distance apart easy access "provide road signs pointing the way" (Rashi quoting a Maccabean document)
Deuteronômio 19:4-7
19:4 "case of the manslayer" This is an expansion of Exod. 21:12-14, which relates to the central sanctuary. This expanded the safety of the central sanctuary to the six Levitical cities of refuge. ▣ "who may flee there and live" If the one who killed someone fled (BDB 630, KB 681, Qal IMPERFECT) to one of the designated cities and if the ensuing trial found that there was no premeditation then he must live (BDB 310, KB 309, Qal PERFECT with waw) in that city of safety until the death of the current High Priest (cf. Josh. 20:6). Notice, there are consequences! ▣ "unintentionally" See note at Deut. 4:42. This is the opposite of "premeditated act." SPECIAL TOPIC: UNINTENTIONAL SINS 19:6 "avenger of blood" The phrase is a CONSTRUCT (BDB 145 I, KB 169, Qal PARTICIPLE and BDB 196, cf. Num. 35:9-28). This person is also known as "kinsman redeemer"(one who acts on behalf of the family). This is an example of Deut. 19:21's limited revenge (cf. Exod. 21:23-25; Lev. 24:19-22). SPECIAL TOPIC: BLOOD AVENGER ▣ "though he was not deserving of death" This is a theological development of Gen. 9:5-6. Here the motive behind the action is taken into consideration. That which was accidental and unpremeditated is reprieved from "eye-for-an-eye" retaliation. There were consequences (had to live in the city of refuge until the death of the current High Priest). Israel, like YHWH, was to be concerned with justice and limited revenge! SPECIAL TOPIC: CITIES OF REFUGE 19:7 Moses gave them YHWH's word in Deut. 19:1-3; he explained them in Deut. 19:4-6 and, then he reasserts YHWH's command in Deut. 19:7.
Deuteronômio 19:8-10
19:8 "If" The hypothetical PARTICLE (BDB 49) expresses the conditional nature of YHWH's covenant with Israel (cf. Deut. 19:9). He had given them the trans-Jordan area and now if they obeyed He would give them Canaan. SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT 19:9 "carefully observe" There is one VERB "to observe" (BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal IMPERFECT, see note at Deut. 6:12) followed by several INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTS constructs: "to do" ‒ BDB 793, KB 889 "to love" ‒ BDB 12, KB 17 "to walk" ‒ BDB 229, KB 246, cf. Deut. 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 30:16 SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY ▣ "all this commandment" This SINGULAR term (BDB 846) is used to describe all of YHWH's covenant (cf. Deut. 4:2; 6:1; 11:8; 15:5; 19:9). SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION, II. E. ▣ "you shall add three more cities" These three plus the three of Deut. 19:2 show the six cities of refuge mentioned in Joshua 20. These refer to the future three cities on the western side of the Jordan, not yet conquered Israel's later expansion of the text after Joshua's conquest (editorial update) SPECIAL TOPIC: CITIES OF REFUGE 19:10 YHWH is concerned about the death of people who do not deserve to die (i.e. "innocent blood," cf. 2 Kgs. 21:16; 24:4; Jer. 22:17). In the OT there is no distinction between ethical and ritual purity. Life is precious! Its loss has consequences ("blood-guiltiness," cf. Num. 35:33-34). It is this consequence and other ritual uncleanness that is dealt with (1) annually by the Day of Atonement, described in Leviticus 16, which dealt with the corporate sins of Israel and (2) locally by the sacrifice of a heifer (cf. Deut. 21:1-9). As the cities of refuge dwelt with individuals, Deut. 21:1-9 deals with the ritual guiltiness of communities.
Deuteronômio 19:11-13
19:11 Notice the series of VERBS describing the premeditated murder: "hates" ‒ BDB 971, KB 1338, Qal PARTICIPLE, cf. Deut. 4:42 "lies in wait" ‒ BDB 70, KB 83, Qal PERFECT with waw "rises up" ‒ BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal PERFECT with waw "strikes" ‒ BDB 645, KB 697, Qal PERFECT with waw SPECIAL TOPIC: MURDER 19:12 "the elders of his city" This refers to either the city nearest the crime or the city of the man's residence. SPECIAL TOPIC: ELDER ▣ "the avenger of blood" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BLOOD AVENGER and SPECIAL TOPIC: "EYE FOR EYE" RETALIATION ▣ "that he may die" The taking of someone's life by the community was meant to be a deterrent to further crimes against the community citizens (cf. Deut. 13:11). In the OT the death sentence was carried out by the whole community (i.e. Lev. 20:2,27; 24:13-23; Num. 15:32-36; Deut. 13:10; 21:21; Josh. 7:22-26). Here is a list of the sins that triggered capital punishment in Israel. all of the sins listed in Exod. 20:13-16 required capital punishment. murder adultery stealing (i.e. kidnapping, cf. Exod. 21:16; Deut. 24:7) false witnessing idolatry/occult Molelch ‒ Lev. 20:2-5; 1 Kgs. 11:7 mediums and spiritists ‒ Lev. 20:6-8,27 go after other gods ‒ Deut. 13:1-10; 17:2-7 incest ‒ Lev. 20:14 blasphemy against YHWH ‒ Exod. 22:28; Lev. 24:10-23 sabbath breaking ‒ Num. 15:35-36 premeditated murder ‒ Exod. 20:13; Num. 35:9 dishonoring parents ‒ Exod. 21:17; Lev. 20:9; Deut. 21:18-21 adultery ‒ Exod. 20:10-16; Deut. 22:13-21,22,23-27 violating the ban (herem) ‒ Josh. 7:25 19:13 "You shall not pity him" This (BDB 299, KB 298, Qal IMPERFECT) is a recurrent theme in Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 7:16; 13:8; 19:13,21; 25:12). Human compassion or national feelings cannot change YHWH's laws. Israel must be holy! Israel's future prosperity (and even her remaining in the Promised Land) is conditioned on her obedience. ▣ "you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel" "you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel " NRSV, Peshitta "you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel" "Israel must rid itself of murders" "You must banish the shedding of innocent blood from Israel" The VERB (BDB 128, KB 145, Piel PERFECT with waw) means "burn," used as imagery here of the complete removal of guilt from the nation (cf. Deut. 13:8; 17:7,12; 19:13,19; 21:21; 22:21,22,24; 24:7). Murder affects individuals (cf. Genesis 4) and communities (cf. Deut. 21:1-9). Sin and self destroy everything they touch!
Deuteronômio 19:14
19:14 "you shall not move your neighbor's boundary mark" In the ancient world villages farmed the land together (i.e. plowing, sowing, reaping). From a passerby's observation it looked like one big field. However, each family had its own field, which was marked by white stones. That family, though working the entire field with the village, received the produce of their land. If someone moved the stones, thereby giving themselves more land (i.e. produce), it was a crime against the whole community and YHWH, because He gave the land as an inheritance for each tribe and family in Joshua 13-19 (cf. Deut. 27:17; Prov. 22:28; 23:10; Hosea 5:10). An example of this community farming concept is seen in the parable of Jesus in Matt. 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20. ▣ "which the ancestors have set" This is the kind of statement that has caused many scholars to reject Mosaic authorship of Deuteronomy. It seems to refer to the allocation of land by lot, which occurred after Joshua's conquest (cf. Joshua 13-19). Egyptian scribes updated their texts, while Mesopotamian scribes did not. Israel's scribes were trained in Egypt. SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES
Deuteronômio 19:15-21
19:15 This verse shows how careful they were to be in their judicial process (cf. Deut. 17:6; Num. 35:30). The VERB "rise up" (BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal IMPERFECT) is used three times in the Hebrew text of Deut. 19:15 and 16. The Hebrew text has three "any's" (BD 481) which was a way to highlight the need for 2 or 3 witnesses to convict of "any" crimes (not just capital offenses; Deut. 17:6). The charged person was to be given the benefit of being considered innocence! 19:16 "malicious witness" The NOUN "malicious" (BDB 329) basically means "violence," but here it denotes a purposeful, false judicial witness (cf. Exod. 23:1; Ps. 27:12; 35:11). They speak in YHWH's name (legal oath), but knowingly distort the truth. Verse 19 shows the consequences of a false witness (cf. Deut. 5:20 and chapter 11). ▣ NASB, NKJV, NRSV "wrongdoing" "false accusations" "a charge of apostasy" "a crime" "impiety" "false testimony" The Hebrew term (BDB 694 II) usually means "a rebellious attitude which becomes an action" (cf. Deut. 13:5; Jer. 28:16; 29:32). Here the context implies purposeful, premeditated "lying," which in Israel's legal system often resulted in the death penalty, so this is premeditated murder. SPECIAL TOPIC: MURDER 19:17 "the priests and the judges" This refers to: local judges, Deut. 16:18-20; 17:8-13 Levitical priests of the central sanctuary, Deut. 18:1-8 Notice that appearing before these appointed judges is the same as appearing before YHWH (cf. Deut. 17:9,12). 19:18 "The judges shall investigate thoroughly" See note at Deut. 13:15. This same word (BDB 405, KB 408, Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE) is also used in Deut. 17:4. 19:19 "you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother" This is an example of "we reap what we sow" (see full list of texts at Jer. 17:10) or "an eye-for-an-eye" justice (cf. Lev. 24:19). 19:20 "The rest will hear and be afraid" There is a social deterrent in individual punishment by the community (cf. Deut. 13:11; 17:13). This is the rationale of the modern "death penalty." 19:21 The "eye-for-an-eye" justice of Israel (i.e. Lev. 24:20), which seems so cruel (i.e. Lex talionis, which is also characteristic of the Code of Hammurabi, see Old Testament Times, by R. K. Harrison, pp. 57-61) was in reality meant to stop "revenge wars" between families and tribes (see SPECIAL TOPIC: BLOOD AVENGER) as well as maintain the ritual purity of God's covenant people. One wonders about how literally this law was actually carried out. It seems that physical mutilation was replaced by appropriate compensation. This is based on the surrounding context of the parallel in Exod. 21:23-25. The immediately preceding and following contexts deal with compensation. The later rabbis assigned appropriate compensation for actions resulting in personal damage. However, murder retained its religious taboo. It negatively impacted the covenant of blessings from YHWH and had to be dealt with appropriately!