Deuteronomy 17:8

If you are not able to give a decision as to who is responsible for a death, or who is right in a cause, or who gave the first blow in a fight, and there is a division of opinion about it in your town: then go to the place marked out by the Lord your God;

Bible in Basic English

In The King James Version

If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;

In Context

7The hands of the witnesses will be the first to put him to death, and after them the hands of all the people. So you are to put away the evil from among you.

9And come before the priests, the Levites, or before him who is judge at the time: and they will go into the question and give you a decision:

Read all of Deuteronomy 17

Cross References

Exodus 18:26And they were judges in the causes of the people at all times: the hard questions they put before Moses; but on every small point they gave decisions themselves.

Exodus 21:20If a man gives his man-servant or his woman-servant blows with a rod, causing death, he is certainly to undergo punishment.

Exodus 21:28If an ox comes to be the cause of death to a man or a woman, the ox is to be stoned, and its flesh may not be used for food; but the owner will not be judged responsible.

Numbers 35:11Then let certain towns be marked out as safe places to which anyone who takes the life of another in error may go in flight.

Numbers 35:19He whose right it is to give punishment for blood, may himself put to death the taker of life when he comes face to face with him.

Deuteronomy 12:5But let your hearts be turned to the place which will be marked out by the Lord your God, among your tribes, to put his name there;

Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 17:2-8

The Punishment of Idolatry. ( b. c. 1451.) 1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God. 2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, 3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of… Read the whole commentary →

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