How does Deuteronomy 19:11 connect with the commandment "You shall not murder"? The Sixth Commandment: God’s Unchanging Standard “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17) Deuteronomy 19:11—Premeditated Violence Unmasked “But if someone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and then flees to one of these cities…” (Deuteronomy 19:11) • The verse pictures a killer who plans, stalks, and executes a neighbor out of hatred—exactly the act the Sixth Commandment forbids. • By spelling out motive (“hates”), method (“lies in wait”), and outcome (“strikes him mortally”), Moses shows murder is never accidental; it starts in a hostile heart. Intentional Murder vs. Accidental Killing • Deuteronomy 19:4-6 describes accidental manslaughter (e.g., an axe head flying off), granting refuge. • Verse 11 pivots to deliberate murder, denying that same refuge. • The distinction safeguards life without confusing negligence with premeditation. Cities of Refuge—Justice, Not Escape • Cities of refuge (Deuteronomy 19:2-3; Numbers 35) reveal God’s concern for due process. • A true murderer who flees there is delivered to the avenger of blood (Deuteronomy 19:12); mercy never nullifies justice. • Thus the command “You shall not murder” is upheld both by protecting the innocent and by punishing the guilty. Heart Issues: Hatred Equals Murder • Jesus echoes this link: “You have heard…‘You shall not murder’… But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-22) • Deuteronomy 19:11 already ties hatred to homicide; Christ simply brings that latent truth to full light. Why the Connection Matters Today • Murder is more than an act; it is a cultivated attitude of contempt. • Guarding against bitterness, resentment, and unchecked anger obeys the commandment long before a violent act could occur. • Communities and legal systems that honor due process reflect God’s own concern for both life and justice. Scriptures That Reinforce the Link • Genesis 9:6 — “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed…” • Numbers 35:30-34 — Requirement of witnesses and prohibition of ransom for a murderer. • Proverbs 6:16-17 — Hands that shed innocent blood among the seven things the LORD hates. • 1 John 3:15 — “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” |
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