Deuteronomy 19 Summary

Moses instructs Israel to set apart three cities of refuge within the Promised Land so that anyone who kills a neighbor accidentally and without prior hatred may flee there and be protected from the avenger of blood; if Israel's territory is later enlarged, three additional cities are to be added. However, a deliberate murderer who flees to such a city is to be removed by the elders and handed over to the avenger of blood, so that innocent blood may be purged from the land. The chapter also forbids removing a neighbor's ancient landmark and establishes that no one may be convicted on the testimony of a single witness, requiring two or three witnesses for a matter to stand. Finally, it prescribes that a false witness shall receive the very punishment he sought to bring upon his brother, upholding the principle of life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.