Deuteronomy 19 13

Deuteronomy 19:13 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 19:13 nkjv

Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you.

Deuteronomy 19:13 niv

Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.

Deuteronomy 19:13 esv

Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may be well with you.

Deuteronomy 19:13 nlt

Do not feel sorry for that murderer! Purge from Israel the guilt of murdering innocent people; then all will go well with you.

Deuteronomy 19 verses

Deuteronomy 19 13 Meaning

Deuteronomy 19:13 mandates the swift and unmerciful execution of a premeditated murderer. It asserts that compassion for the perpetrator must be set aside for the sake of the community's spiritual purity and well-being. By purging the land of the defilement caused by innocent bloodshed, the nation ensures God's favor and blessing upon itself. This verse underscores the supreme value of human life and the absolute necessity of divine justice for preserving covenant integrity.

Deuteronomy 19 13 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 19 outlines specific laws concerning justice and the legal process, particularly in cases of homicide. The initial verses (1-10) detail the establishment and purpose of the "cities of refuge," where someone who unintentionally killed another could find asylum from the "avenger of blood." Verse 11 introduces the deliberate, premeditated killer, who actively waits to ambush and kill. For such an individual, the city of refuge provides no sanctuary (v. 12). Verse 13 is the climax of this legal instruction, stating that such a murderer must be delivered to the avenger of blood to be put to death. This act of executing justice is presented not as a matter of personal vengeance, but as a crucial step for the entire community's well-being and purification from the moral defilement of bloodshed, which pollutes the land and displeases God. This judicial stringency contrasted with some contemporary Near Eastern societies where even murder could be atoned for by monetary compensation, underscoring Israel's unique divine covenant and the sanctity of human life within it.

Deuteronomy 19 13 Word analysis

• Thine eye: Refers to one's personal sentiment, empathy, or pity. The use of "eye" (Hebrew: `ayin, עַ֫יִן) is metonymic, representing the internal emotional state of compassion.
• shall not pity him: Hebrew lo'-tahchôs (לֹא־תָח֕וֹס). chūs (חוּס) means to feel compassion, to pity, or to spare. This strong negative imperative prohibits showing mercy or sparing the life of a proven, premeditated murderer. This command extends not just to the judge or "avenger of blood" but implicitly to the entire community, indicating that collective sentiment must not override divine justice. This principle is reiterated elsewhere in Deut. for severe offenses, emphasizing that personal feelings must not hinder communal righteousness.
• but thou shalt put away: Hebrew u-bə‘artā (וּבִעַרְתָּ֣). The verb ba'ar (בָּעַר) literally means "to burn" or "to consume," but contextually, it implies to remove, abolish, clear away completely, or utterly purge. It conveys decisive, thorough eradication. This emphasizes that the removal of the murderer is an act of purification, vital for the spiritual health of Israel. It is not just eliminating a threat, but cleansing defilement.
• from Israel: Highlights the corporate responsibility of the nation. The murderer's presence, and especially their unpunished crime, pollutes the entire community and jeopardizes its relationship with God. The act of "putting away" is for the sake of the collective body of God's people.
• the guilt of innocent blood: Hebrew dam naqiy (דַּ֥ם נָקִֽי). "Blood" (דָּם dam) refers to life itself and its sacredness. "Innocent" (naqiy) signifies someone free from fault or guilt, underscoring the victim's blamelessness in their death. The "guilt" (implied, not explicit in dam naqiy, but rather the culpability and defilement that accrues from shedding such blood) is the moral and ritual pollution that attaches to the land and the community when unavenged murder occurs. This concept connects deeply to Genesis 4 where Abel's blood cries out from the ground, illustrating that innocent blood defiles and calls for justice.
• that it may go well with thee: Hebrew lema'an yîṭab lāk (לְמַ֨עַן יִֽיטַב־לָ֑ךְ). This is a frequent phrase in Deuteronomy, linking obedience to God's commands with divine blessing and prosperity. Here, the well-being and favorable outcome (physically, socially, spiritually) for the individual ("thee") and by extension the nation, are directly contingent upon the diligent execution of justice. This implies that societal order, spiritual purity, and national flourishing are all dependent on a strict adherence to God's legal-moral principles.

Words-group analysis

• Thine eye shall not pity him; but thou shalt put away: This juxtaposition vividly portrays the tension between human sentiment and divine command. While natural human compassion might arise, it must be decisively overridden by the absolute necessity of executing God's justice. The action of "putting away" is presented as a firm, cleansing act, not driven by revenge, but by religious and communal imperative. It highlights the principle that communal holiness outweighs individual feeling in such grave matters.
• from Israel the guilt of innocent blood: This phrase encapsulates the core theological concern: the profound defilement that murder brings upon the entire covenant community and the very land given by God. It is not merely a crime against an individual but a sacrilege that breaks the covenant and stains the nation's spiritual purity, potentially incurring divine judgment. The emphasis is on collective responsibility to maintain holiness.
• that it may go well with thee: This teleological statement provides the ultimate motivation and divine promise for enforcing such harsh justice. It links the strict punitive measures directly to the nation's overall welfare and blessings from God. Obedience in dealing with profound evil ensures national prosperity, peace, and continuation in God's favor. This shows that the Law, even in its severity, is ultimately for the good of God's people.

Deuteronomy 19 13 Bonus section

• Polemic against ANE practices: This verse, along with Numbers 35:31, stands in stark contrast to many ancient Near Eastern legal codes (e.g., Code of Hammurabi, Hittite laws) that often permitted monetary compensation (wergild) for homicide, effectively allowing a murderer to "buy" their freedom. Israel's law firmly rejected such compromises, affirming the unique sanctity of life as a divine gift and its intrinsic value above any monetary sum. Only the murderer's blood could cleanse the defilement caused by their act.
• Corporate Responsibility and Defilement: The concept that the entire land and community are defiled by unpunished bloodshed (similar to idolatry or severe sexual sins) emphasizes the profound corporate responsibility of Israel. If the people fail to execute justice, the guilt falls upon them collectively, potentially leading to divine judgment on the entire nation. This goes beyond mere criminal justice; it's about the maintenance of covenant holiness.
• Theological Basis of Justice: The emphasis on "that it may go well with thee" grounds the severe judicial measures not in vengeance, but in the theological reality that obedience to God's justice is intrinsically linked to His blessing and the overall welfare of His people. God is inherently just, and His people must reflect His character, particularly in matters of life and death.

Deuteronomy 19 13 Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:13 is a powerful statement on the non-negotiable sanctity of human life and the critical importance of divine justice in maintaining the holiness of God's covenant people and their land. It addresses the gravest of crimes—premeditated murder—demanding uncompromising justice. The command to show "no pity" signifies that human emotion cannot interfere with the judicial process when innocent blood has been shed. This is not about cruelty but about righteous judgment. The murderer’s continued presence or unpunished existence pollutes the land (Num 35:33-34) and breaks God's moral order. "Putting away" the murderer through execution is presented as a spiritual purification of the entire nation, removing the "guilt of innocent blood." This act is ultimately for the benefit and "well-being" of the community, ensuring divine favor and blessings. It teaches that true societal prosperity and peace depend upon upholding God’s standards of righteousness, even when they are stern. For instance, a society that ignores or makes light of the shedding of innocent blood cannot expect to thrive under God's blessing. This principle underlies many capital punishment laws in the Mosaic Covenant, positioning them as necessary acts for national spiritual hygiene and continuity.