Deuteronomy 19:5

as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies, he shall flee to one of these cities and live.

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WEBBE

as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbour to chop wood and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbour so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live.

BSB

If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.

KJV

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:

ASV

as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbor 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 neighbor, so that he dieth; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live:

BBE

For example, if a man goes into the woods with his neighbour for the purpose of cutting down trees, and when he takes his axe to give a blow to the tree, the head of the axe comes off, and falling on to his neighbour gives him a wound causing his death; then the man may go in flight to one of these towns and be safe:

Original Hebrew

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וַאֲשֶׁר va·'a·sher and who H834 יָבֹא ya·vo' he will go H935 אֶת־ 'et- with H854 רֵעֵהוּ re·'e·hu companion his H7453 בַיַּעַר vai·ya·'ar in the forest H3293 לַחְטֹב lach·to to cut H2404 עֵצִים 'e·tzim wood(s) H6086 וְנִדְּחָה ve·ni·de·chah and it will be impelled H5080 יָדוֹ ya·do hand his H3027 בַגַּרְזֶן va·gar·zen by the axe H1631 לִכְרֹת likh·rot to cut down H3772 הָעֵץ ha·'etz the tree H6086 וְנָשַׁל ve·na·shal and it will slip off H5394 הַבַּרְזֶל ha·bar·zel the iron H1270 מִן־ min- from H4480 הָעֵץ ha·'etz the tree H6086 וּמָצָא u·ma·tza' and it will find H4672 אֶת־ 'et- (marks the object) H853 רֵעֵהוּ re·'e·hu companion his H7453 וָמֵת va·met and he will die H4191 הוּא hu' he H1931 יָנוּס ya·nus he will flee H5127 אֶל־ 'el- to H413 אַחַת 'a·chat one of H259 הֶעָרִים־ he·'a·rim- the cities H5892 הָאֵלֶּה ha·'e·leh (the) these H428 וָחָי va·chai and he will live H2421

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–13

Here is the law settled between the blood of the murdered, and the blood of the murderer; provision is made, that the cities of refuge should be a protection, so that a man should not die for that as a crime, which was not his willing act. In Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, refuge is provided for those who by faith flee unto him. But there is no refuge in Jesus Christ for presumptuous sinners, who go on still in their trespasses. Those who flee to Christ from their sins, shall be safe in him, but not those who expect to be sheltered by him in their sins.

Read Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 19 →

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.