Read Deuteronomy 19:11-21 at Bible Gateway.
Previously: deuteronomy 19:1-10, cities of refuge
(Please review the teaching tools of scripture, especially the Hebrew paragraph divisions and chiastic structures. The paragraphs marked by an “s” at their close are weak paragraphs, which indicate a change of facet but not a change of theme or topic. The paragraphs marked by a “p” at their close are strong paragraphs, which indicate the completion of a theme or topic. The paragraph divisions reveal the chiastic structures: narratives which zero in on the main point of the narrative at its center, like a bull’s eye at the center of a target. The main point is revealed, because the narrative elements before the main point (or central axis) are repeated after the central axis, in reverse order, while the central axis itself is not repeated.)
Deu 19:11-21 is the second section explaining the sixth commandment, Do not commit murder. The sixth commandment is explained in Deu 19:1-21:9, and this is my summary of it. The Hebrew paragraph divisions are:
Deu 19:11-13 {s} The murderer shall not find refuge
Deu 19:14 {s} Do not remove or change the ancient boundaries
Deu 19:15-21 {s} Justice in the case of false witnesses
The first paragraph continues the distinction between manslaughter and murder previously addressed in Deu 19:1-10. In the case of manslaughter, the man does not hate his neighbor, and the death is accidental. In the case of murder, the man hates his neighbor, bearing malice toward him, and lies in wait for him to rise against him. It is the element of premeditation that is the difference, and why so many murderers try to set the stage of the murder as if it was an accident.
The murderer, fleeing to a city of refuge, shall not find refuge, but the elders of his city shall bring him from his place of escape, and deliver him to receive his capital punishment. The one who intentionally takes a life, and denies an innocent victim the right to life, forfeits his own right to life. Life shall be for life.
But then the narrative seems to wander off into trespassing or theft of land, and bearing false witness. How do we know the topic is still Do not commit murder?
Let’s come back to ancient boundaries. Someone who hates his neighbor and wants to do away with him has a problem – how to accomplish his goal and not get caught. Deu 19:15-21 deals with the case of someone who might try to use the justice system to bring about the hurt or death of someone else, by accusing him falsely of a capital crime. In other words, by framing an innocent person to make it seem as if they committed a crime. Framing a person by false witness or planting false evidence (essentially the same thing) to cause their death, is the exact same crime as premeditated murder. The only difference is the instrument wielded to deliver the fatal blow.
Therefore, God teaches us standards of truth. If something is true, there will always be more than one witness and the witnesses will agree. Truth does not contradict itself. The testimony of one witness is not sufficient to establish the truth of a matter. This principle in Torah is the reason the scientific method is the way it is. For a hypothesis in science to be established, experiments testing it must be repeatable and yield the same results. The multiple witnesses must agree.
Now what about the ancient boundaries? It turns out these three weak paragraphs together form an interesting chiastic structure:
Deu 19:11-21 s+s+s
1a) Deu 19:11-13 s, Rising against a neighbor to strike him and murder him:
– 1a.1) Deu 19:11, If anyone hating his neighbor lies in wait + rises against him + strikes him so that he dies;
– 1a.2) Deu 19:12, Elders of his city shall send + bring him + deliver him to the avenger of blood, that he may die;
– 1a.3) Deu 19:13 s, Your eye shall not pity him + put away the guilt of innocent blood that it may go well with you;
central axis) Deu 19:14 s, You shall not move or remove the ancient boundaries;
2a) Deu 19:15-21 s, Rising against a neighbor by false witness to harm him:
– 2a.1) Deu 19:15-17, Not one witness but two or three/ if a false witness rises against a man to testify of wrongdoing;
– 2a.2) Deu 19:18-20a, Judges shall make careful inquiry/ if false + you shall do so to him;
– 2a.3) Deu 19:20b-21 s, You shall put away evil among you + your eye shall not pity but life shall be for life + eye for eye.
There is more being said here than do not steal your neighbor’s land. The Torah itself is an ancient boundary stone. It has set standards and boundaries for determining truth, of right and wrong, justice and criminal activity, and the right exercise of punishment, not for a power rush, but specifically to prevent the spread of evil in society, and so secure peace and security for the vast majority of the law- abiding population. When you move the ancient boundary stone, you are in danger of committing murder, by allowing evil to grow; by giving hatred an open door to rise up against innocent victims. Blood guiltiness increases in the land. The murderer finds refuge.
Continued: deuteronomy 20:1-20, murder and warfare
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