Exodus 21:13

Douay-Rheims Bible

But he that did not lie in wait for him, but God delivered him into his hands: I will appoint thee a place to which he must flee.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.

King James Version
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

Lexham English Bible
But if he did not lie in wait and it was an accident, I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.

New Century Version
But if a person kills someone accidentally, God allowed that to happen, so the person must go to a place I will choose.

New English Translation
But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

Amplified Bible
"However, if he did not lie in wait [for him], but God allowed him to fall into his hand, then I will establish for you a place to which he may escape [for protection until duly tried].

New American Standard Bible
"Yet if he did not lie in wait for him, but God caused him to fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And if a man hath not layed wayte, but God hath offered him into his hande, then I wil appoynt thee a place whither he shall flee.

Legacy Standard Bible
But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee.

Contemporary English Version
But if you did not intend to kill someone, and I, the Lord , let it happen anyway, you may run for safety to a place that I have set aside.

Complete Jewish Bible
If it was not premeditated but an act of God, then I will designate for you a place to which he can flee.

Darby Translation
But if he have not lain in wait, and God have delivered [him] into his hand, I will appoint thee a place to which he shall flee.

Easy-to-Read Version
But if an accident happens, and a person kills someone without planning it, then God allowed that thing to happen. I will choose some special places where people can run to for safety. So that person can run to one of those places.

English Standard Version
But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.

George Lamsa Translation
But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.

Good News Translation
But if it was an accident and he did not mean to kill him, he can escape to a place which I will choose for you, and there he will be safe.

Christian Standard Bible®
But if he did not intend any harm, and yet God allowed it to happen, I will appoint a place for you where he may flee.

Literal Translation
But he who does not lie in wait, and God lets fall into his hand, I will appoint a place for you where he may flee.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf he haue not layed wayte for him, but God let him fall in his hande vnawares, then wil I appoynte the a place, where he shal flye vnto.

American Standard Version
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

Bible in Basic English
But if he had no evil purpose against him, and God gave him into his hand, I will give you a place to which he may go in flight.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
If a man lay not awayte, but God deliuer [him] into his hande, then I wyll poynt thee a place whither he shal flee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And if a man lie not in wait, but God cause it to come to hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he may flee.

King James Version (1611)
And if a man lye not in wait, but God deliuer him into his hand, then I will appoint thee a place whither hee shall flee:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But as for him that did it not willingly, but God delivered him into his hands, I will give thee a place whither the slayer may flee.

English Revised Version
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
forsothe if a man settide not aspies, but God `bitook hym in to hise hondis, Y schal ordeyne a place to thee, whidur he owith to fle.

Young's Literal Translation
as to him who hath not laid wait, and God hath brought to his hand, I have even set for thee a place whither he doth flee.

Update Bible Version
And if a man lies not in wait, but God delivers [him] into his hand; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.

Webster's Bible Translation
And if a man shall not lie in wait, but God shall deliver [him] into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

World English Bible
but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.

New King James Version
However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

New Living Translation
But if it was simply an accident permitted by God, I will appoint a place of refuge where the slayer can run for safety.

New Life Bible
But if he did not plan to hurt him, but God allowed it to happen, then I will give you a place where he may run to be safe.

New Revised Standard
If it was not premeditated, but came about by an act of God, then I will appoint for you a place to which the killer may flee.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But he who hath not lain in wait, but, God, hath occasioned him to come to his hand, then will I appoint for thee a place, whither he may flee.

Revised Standard Version
But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee.

Contextual Overview

¹² He that striketh a man with a will to kill him, shall be put to death. ¹³ But he that did not lie in wait for him, but God delivered him into his hands: I will appoint thee a place to which he must flee. ¹⁴ If a man kill his neighbour on set purpose, and by lying in wait for him: thou shalt take him away from my altar that he may die. ¹⁵ He that striketh his father or mother, shall be put to death. ¹⁶ He that shall steal a man, and sell him, being convicted of the guilt, shall be put to death. ¹⁷ He that curseth his father or mother, shall die the death. ¹⁸ If men quarrel, and the one strike his neighbour with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: ¹⁹ If he rise again and walk abroad upon his staff, he that struck him shall be quit, yet so that he make restitution for his work, and for his expenses upon the physicians. ²⁰ He that striketh his bondman, or bondwoman, with a rod, and they die under his hands, shall be guilty of the crime. ²¹ But if the party remain alive a day or two, he shall not be subject to the punishment, because it is his money.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lie not: Numbers 35:11, Numbers 35:22, Deuteronomy 19:4-6, Deuteronomy 19:11, Micah 7:2

God: 1 Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:10, 1 Samuel 24:18, 2 Samuel 16:10, Isaiah 10:7

I will appoint: Numbers 35:11, Deuteronomy 4:41-43, Deuteronomy 19:1-3, Deuteronomy 19:9, Joshua 20:2-9

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 19:2 - separate three cities Judges 4:7 - deliver 2 Samuel 14:14 - he devise Daniel 3:14 - true

Cross-References

Genesis 16:10
And again he said: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.

Genesis 17:20
And as for Ismael I have also heard thee. Behold, I will bless him, and increase, and multiply him exceedingly: he shall beget twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation.

Genesis 21:12
And God said to him: Let it not seem grievous to thee for the boy, and for thy bondwoman: in all that Sara hath said to thee, hearken to her voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Genesis 21:18
Arise, take up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make him a great nation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And if a man lie not in wait,.... For the life of another to take it away; or does not do it willingly, as the Septuagint version, does not seek after it, nor design it:

but God delivers him into his hand; it being suffered and ordered by the providence of God, without whose knowledge and will nothing comes to pass, even what may seem to be a contingent thing, or matter of chance, to us; or it is so brought about in providence, that one man falls into the hands of another, and his life is taken away by him, though not purposely and maliciously; because, as Aben Ezra expresses it, for another sin which he has committed, and for which he must die in this way, though not intended by the person the more immediate cause of his death:

then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee; and there be safe both from the avenger of blood, and the civil magistrate; which place, while Israel were in the wilderness, was the camp of the Levites, according to Jarchi, or the altar, as follows; but when they were come to Canaan's land, there were cities of refuge appointed for such persons, that killed a man unawares, to flee to, and where they were safe from private vengeance, and falling a sacrifice to public justice.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There was no place of safety for the guilty murderer, not even the altar of Yahweh. Thus all superstitious notions connected with the right of sanctuary were excluded. Adonijah and Joab 1 Kings 1:50; 1 Kings 2:28 appear to have vainly trusted that the common feeling would protect them, if they took hold of the horns of the altar on which atonement with blood was made Leviticus 4:7. But for one who killed a man “at unawares,” that is, without intending to do it, the law afterward appointed places of refuge, Numbers 35:6-34; Deuteronomy 4:41-43; Deuteronomy 19:2-10; Joshua 20:2-9. It is very probable that there was some provision answering to the cities of refuge, that may have been based upon old usage, in the camp in the Wilderness.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 21:13. I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. — From the earliest times the nearest akin had a right to revenge the murder of his relation, and as this right was universally acknowledged, no law was ever made on the subject; but as this might be abused, and a person who had killed another accidentally, having had no previous malice against him, might be put to death by the avenger of blood, as the nearest kinsman was termed, therefore God provided the cities of refuge to which the accidental manslayer might flee till the affair was inquired into, and settled by the civil magistrate.