Deuteronomy 19:9
New International Version
because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the LORD your God and to walk always in obedience to him—then you are to set aside three more cities.

New Living Translation
you must designate three additional cities of refuge. (He will give you this land if you are careful to obey all the commands I have given you—if you always love the LORD your God and walk in his ways.)

English Standard Version
provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the LORD your God and by walking ever in his ways—then you shall add three other cities to these three,

Berean Standard Bible
and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.

King James Bible
If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

New King James Version
and if you keep all these commandments and do them, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and to walk always in His ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three,

New American Standard Bible
if you carefully follow all of this commandment which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

NASB 1995
if you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always— then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

NASB 1977
if you carefully observe all this commandment, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

Legacy Standard Bible
if you be careful to do all this commandment which I am commanding you today, to love Yahweh your God and to walk in His ways all your days—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.

Amplified Bible
if you keep and carefully observe all these commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk [that is, to live each and every day] always in His ways—then you shall add three more cities [of refuge] for yourself, besides these three,

Christian Standard Bible
provided you keep every one of these commands I am giving you today and follow them, loving the LORD your God and walking in his ways at all times—you are to add three more cities to these three.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
provided you keep every one of these commands I am giving you today and follow them, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times—you are to add three more cities to these three.

American Standard Version
if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, besides these three:

English Revised Version
if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He may do this because you faithfully obey all these commands I am now giving you-to love the LORD your God and follow his directions as long as you live. If this happens, you may add three more cities of refuge to these three.

Good News Translation
then you are to select three more cities. (He will give you this land if you do everything that I command you today and if you love the LORD your God and live according to his teachings.)

International Standard Version
and if you are careful to observe all these commands that I am commanding you today—to love the LORD your God and to walk daily in his ways—then add three more cities in addition to these three cities.

Majority Standard Bible
and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.

NET Bible
and then you are careful to observe all these commandments I am giving you today (namely, to love the LORD your God and to always walk in his ways), then you must add three more cities to these three.

New Heart English Bible
if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to walk ever in his ways; then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, besides these three:

Webster's Bible Translation
If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, besides these three:

World English Bible
and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
when you keep all this command to do it, which I am commanding you today, to love your God YHWH and to walk in His ways [for] all the days—then you have added three more cities for yourself to these three;

Young's Literal Translation
when thou keepest all this command to do it, which I am commanding thee to-day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk in His ways all the days -- then thou hast added to thee yet three cities to these three;

Smith's Literal Translation
If thou shalt watch all this command to do it, which I command thee this day, to love Jehovah thy God and to go in his ways all the days; and thou shalt add to thee yet three cities upon these three.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
(Yet so, if thou keep his commandments, and do the things which I command thee this day, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways at all times) thou shalt add to thee other three cities, and shalt double the number of the three cities aforesaid:

Catholic Public Domain Version
(but this is only so if you will keep his commandments and do the things which I instruct to you this day, so that you love the Lord your God, and walk in his ways at all times) you shall add for yourselves three other cities, and so you shall double the number of the three cities stated above.

New American Bible
because you carefully observe this whole commandment which I give you today, loving the LORD, your God, and ever walking in his ways, then add three more cities to these three.

New Revised Standard Version
provided you diligently observe this entire commandment that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God and walking always in his ways—then you shall add three more cities to these three,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
If you shall keep all these commandments to do them, which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in his ways always; then you shall add three cities more for you besides these three;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If you keep all of these commandments and you will do those that I command you today, that you shall love LORD JEHOVAH your God and you shall walk in his ways all of the days, you shall add to yourselves three towns upon these three again:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in His ways--then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
if thou shalt hearken to do all these commands, which I charge thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways continually; thou shalt add for thyself yet three cities to these three.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cities of Refuge
8And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them, 9and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three. 10Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.…

Cross References
Joshua 20:1-9
Then the LORD said to Joshua, / “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, / so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood. ...

Numbers 35:9-34
Then the LORD said to Moses, / “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, / designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there. ...

Exodus 21:12-14
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. / If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. / But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

Deuteronomy 4:41-43
Then Moses set aside three cities across the Jordan to the east / to which a manslayer could flee after killing his neighbor unintentionally without prior malice. To save one’s own life, he could flee to one of these cities: / Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.

Deuteronomy 6:1-3
These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the LORD your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess, / so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the LORD your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged. / Hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you.

Deuteronomy 11:22-25
For if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him— / then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and stronger than you. / Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea. ...

Deuteronomy 30:16
For I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and increase, and the LORD your God may bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.

Matthew 5:17-20
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. / So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ...

Hebrews 10:26-31
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, / but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries. / Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ...

Romans 13:8-10
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. / The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” / Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Galatians 5:14
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:8-13
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. / But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. / Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ...

1 John 3:15
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.

Acts 3:22-23
For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you. / Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’

Luke 10:25-28
One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” / “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” / He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ...


Treasury of Scripture

If you shall keep all these commandments to do them, which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shall you add three cities more for you, beside these three:

If thou shalt

Deuteronomy 11:22-25
For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; …

Deuteronomy 12:32
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

then shalt thou

Joshua 20:7,8
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah…

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Deuteronomy 19
1. The cities of refuge
4. The privilege thereof for the manslayer
14. The landmark is not to be removed
15. At least two witnesses are required
16. the punishment of a false witness














if you carefully observe
The Hebrew root for "observe" is "שָׁמַר" (shamar), which means to guard, keep, or watch over. This implies a diligent and intentional effort to adhere to God's commandments. In the historical context, this was a call to the Israelites to be vigilant in their obedience, reflecting a heart fully committed to God's laws. It underscores the importance of not just passive acknowledgment but active engagement with God's word.

all these commandments
The phrase emphasizes the totality and completeness of God's law. The Hebrew word for "commandments" is "מִצְוָה" (mitzvah), which refers to the divine laws given to guide the moral and spiritual life of the Israelites. This comprehensive adherence is a testament to the covenant relationship between God and His people, where obedience is a response to God's faithfulness and love.

I am giving you today
This phrase highlights the immediacy and relevance of God's commandments. The use of "today" signifies that God's word is ever-present and applicable in the current moment. It serves as a reminder that God's instructions are not just historical artifacts but living words meant to guide daily life.

to love the LORD your God
The Hebrew word for "love" is "אָהַב" (ahav), which conveys deep affection and commitment. Loving God is the foundation of the commandments, indicating that obedience is not merely a legalistic duty but a relational response. This love is central to the covenant, calling for a heartfelt devotion that permeates every aspect of life.

to walk always in His ways
"Walk" in Hebrew is "הָלַךְ" (halak), which means to go or proceed. This metaphorical use suggests living a life that consistently aligns with God's character and commands. "His ways" refers to the path of righteousness and holiness that God sets before His people. It is a call to a lifestyle that reflects God's nature and purposes.

then you are to add three more cities
This instruction is part of the provision for cities of refuge, which were places of asylum for those who committed unintentional manslaughter. The addition of more cities signifies God's justice and mercy, ensuring that His people have access to protection and fairness. It reflects the societal structure that God intended for Israel, where justice is tempered with compassion.

to these three
The reference to "these three" cities connects to the earlier command to establish cities of refuge. It underscores the importance of expanding justice and mercy as the nation grows. This expansion is a practical application of God's law, ensuring that His principles of justice are accessible to all, reflecting His desire for a society built on righteousness and care for the vulnerable.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and if
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you carefully observe
תִשְׁמֹר֩ (ṯiš·mōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

these
הַזֹּ֜את (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

commandments
הַמִּצְוָ֨ה (ham·miṣ·wāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4687: Commandment

I
אָנֹכִ֣י (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

am giving you
מְצַוְּךָ֮ (mə·ṣaw·wə·ḵā)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

today,
הַיּוֹם֒ (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

loving
לְאַהֲבָ֞ה (lə·’a·hă·ḇāh)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 157: To have affection f

the LORD
יְהוָ֧ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

your God
אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and walking
וְלָלֶ֥כֶת (wə·lā·le·ḵeṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

in His ways
בִּדְרָכָ֖יו (biḏ·rā·ḵāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

at all times,
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

then you are to add
וְיָסַפְתָּ֨ (wə·yā·sap̄·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3254: To add, augment

three
שָׁלֹ֣שׁ (šā·lōš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

more
עוֹד֙ (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

cities
עָרִ֔ים (‘ā·rîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement

to
עַ֖ל (‘al)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

these
הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

three.
הַשָּׁלֹ֥שׁ (haš·šā·lōš)
Article | Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 19:9 If you shall keep all this commandment (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 19:8
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