Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:2 - 19:3

Good News Translation has combined verses 2-3 in order to make the text easier to understand, with the various events following a logical order. It is easy to see the logic of the Good News Translation rearrangement: the division of the land into three areas must come before the selection of the three cities, one city in each area, after which the roads would be built.

Set apart three cities: that is, choose these cities (or towns) for this purpose. For cities see 1.22. It will be helpful to indicate again that these will be safe cities or towns that people can go to for safety.

The land which the LORD your God gives you to possess: repeating a statement that is made many times.

You shall prepare the roads: the text as we have it means that the Israelites are ordered to build good roads to each of these towns so that fugitives will be able to reach the town nearest to them without too much trouble. The meaning of the Hebrew text that Revised Standard Version translates as You shall prepare the roads is in doubt, however, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “survey the distances” (this is also an alternative rendering in New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant). The phrase is discussed at length in A.D. Hulst, k Old Testament Translation Problemsk*, and this meaning is found to be possible but not certain. A translator should feel free to give this meaning in a footnote, but it is recommended that the text follow Revised Standard Version. Neither Good News Translation nor Contemporary English Version mentions the roads, but it seems best to do so. An alternative translation model is the following: “You shall build roads to these towns so that people can reach them easily.”

Divide into three parts the area: actually this division was to come before the choice of the cities and the building of the roads. Good News Translation has “divide the territory into three parts,” and Contemporary English Version has “Divide the land into three regions.”

The land which the LORD your God gives you as a possession: a further repetition of this constant theme.

So that any manslayer can flee to them: it is important to use a general term for manslayer that means only that a person has killed another person, without indicating whether it was intentional (murder) or not (homicide). New Revised Standard Version has “homicide,” which is normally used of the act of killing, not of the killer. “A man who kills someone” (Good News Translation) is a good model.

To them: that is, to any one of the three cities.

An alternative translation model for verses 2-3 is:

• Divide the land into three parts [or, territories]. Choose a town in each part where people can go in order to be safe. Build roads to these towns so that people can reach them easily. Then a person who kills someone will be able to escape to any of these towns and be safe.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:4

The provision: the same noun is used at the beginning of 15.2. It indicates what is to be done. So we may translate “This is what you must do [or, This is the rule] in the case of someone who….”

The manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life: this is rather complex. New International Version has “This is the rule concerning the man who kills another and flees there to save his life,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “Here is an example of how someone may save his life by fleeing to them.” Another possibility is “This is the rule about a person who kills another person and flees to one of these towns in order to save his [or her] life.” What follows deals with the case of the person who is legally allowed to flee to one of these towns and thus avoid being killed.

If any one kills his neighbor unintentionally: here neighbor means simply “another person” (New Revised Standard Version), or, more precisely, a fellow-Israelite; it does not indicate someone who lives next door. The Hebrew verb is literally “to strike” or “to hit,” here meaning to kill.

Unintentionally: that is, accidentally, without meaning to.

Without having been at enmity with him in the past: this is stated in order to further remove the possibility of murder.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:5

In verses 5-6 one particular example of accidental killing is given. A good way to start verse 5 is to say “For example” (Good News Translation), “For instance” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible), or “Suppose that…” (New Revised Standard Version).

A man … with his neighbor: as in verse 4, this means “with his friend,” or “with someone else.” Or else, even more simply, “For instance, two men go to the woods….”

The forest: or “the woods.” An equivalent of “the jungle” may be used if there is no other word to designate an area where trees grow plentifully.

To cut wood: either firewood or else for carpentry.

His hand swings the axe to cut down a tree: that is, “While he is cutting down a tree with his ax,” or else, like New International Version, “As he swings his ax to fell a tree.”

The head slips from the handle: the head is the heavy metal blade fixed to the wooden handle of an ax. Slips may not give the right sense in English, since it may not mean it happens with enough speed and force to kill a person; Good News Translation has “comes off,” but perhaps “flies off” is more appropriate in this context.

And strikes his neighbor so that he dies: “And the head hits the other man and he dies.”

He may flee to one of these cities and save his life: this refers to the nearest town of refuge, where he can be safe from the dead man’s relative who would go after him in order to kill him.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:6

This verse gives the reason why there had to be three towns of refuge; if there were only one, it might be so far away from where an accidental death had occurred that the dead man’s relative would overtake the killer before he reached the town of refuge. Good News Translation emphasizes the need for three cities over one, with “If there were only one city, the distance to it might be too great, ….”

The avenger of blood: traditionally this has been taken to mean the dead man’s nearest relative, whose duty it would be to avenge the death. But some believe that the designated avenger would be named by the local authorities. There is not enough evidence to determine which is correct; it is recommended that the idea of a relative be the one expressed by the translation. Good News Translation has “the relative who is responsible to take revenge for the killing,” and Revised English Bible translates “the dead man’s next-of-kin on whom lies the duty of vengeance” (see Num 25.12). “Avenge” or “revenge” means to “pay back” or “punish” someone in a way that fits the crime. So avenger of blood may also be expressed as “the relative who is responsible for punishing the murderer [or, killer].”

In hot anger: in Hebrew this is a verbal form meaning “to boil over.” Alternative ways of expressing this are “be very angry” or “have a very hot heart,” and so on.

Pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long: the meaning is clear enough, but the order of the clauses may be a problem. Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje has “If there were only one city of refuge, it might be so far away that the relative responsible for avenging the death might have time to catch the man who killed his friend.” (In Portuguese “his friend” is not ambiguous; it is the “friend” of the killer.)

Wound him mortally: more simply, “kill him.”

The man did not deserve to die: this is why the three towns of refuge are needed. Good News Translation translates this as “an innocent man.” In some languages this will be expressed as “a pure [or, clean] person.”

He was not at enmity with his neighbor in time past: as in verse 4.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:7

For this verse see verse 2.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:8

In verses 8-10 instructions are given about three more towns, following the expansion of Israelite domination into other territories. It is not certain what the relation is between these three additional towns and those listed in 4.41-43; probably the three towns west of the Jordan River were selected first, and only later the three on the east side.

And if: in this context, “When” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Enlarges your border: that is, “enlarges your territory” (Good News Translation), or “gives you even more land” (see 12.20). For a description of the territory Israel would eventually occupy, see 11.22-25.

As he has sworn to your fathers: see 1.8.

The rest of the promise means “give you all the land that he promised your ancestors he would give you” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version); see 6.18, 23.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:9

This verse continues without a break from verse 8. In many languages it will be better to put a full stop at the end of verse 8 and begin this verse “He will do this if….”

Careful to keep all this commandment: see 4.2; 5.31.

I command you this day: again this day is emphasized (see 15.5).

Loving the LORD your God: see 6.5.

Walking ever in his ways: see 8.6; 10.12; 11.22.

You shall add three other cities to these three: “You will choose three more towns of refuge.”

We should notice that Good News Translation has placed part of this verse in parentheses. These are a useful device but may cause trouble for some readers.

It is also possible to combine verses 8 and 9 as follows:

• The LORD your God has promised that if you obey all his commands that I am giving you today, and if you continue to love him and live [or, walk] according to his teachings, then he will give you the land that he promised to your ancestors. When that happens you must choose three other towns in addition to these three.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 19:10

This verse continues from the previous verse; but see Good News Translation as an example of beginning a new sentence here: “Do this, so that innocent people….”

Lest innocent blood be shed: that is, “so that innocent people will not be put to death.” If the phrase innocent blood is normally used in a language to indicate an innocent person who has been killed, it may be used; otherwise the meaning should be made clear. The killing here is an execution; that is why “be put to death” or its equivalent should be used.

The guilt of bloodshed be upon you: the whole nation would be guilty of having put to death an innocent person. Contemporary English Version makes this clear with “You will be guilty of murder if innocent people lose their lives.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .