Deuteronomy 19:10

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance, and [so] blood be upon thee.

Complete Jewish Bible:

so that innocent blood will not be shed in the land ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus blood guilt be on you.

Berean Standard Bible:

Thus 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.

American Standard Version:

that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

That innocent{H5355} blood{H1818} be not shed{H8210} in{H7130} thy land{H776}, which the LORD{H3068} thy God{H430} giveth{H5414} thee for an inheritance{H5159}, and so blood{H1818} be upon thee.

Cross-References (KJV):

Proverbs 6:17

  • A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Isaiah 59:7

  • Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts [are] thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction [are] in their paths.

Matthew 27:4

  • Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What [is that] to us? see thou [to that].

Matthew 27:5

  • And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

2 Kings 24:4

  • And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.

Joel 3:19

  • Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence [against] the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

Jeremiah 7:6

  • [If] ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

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Commentary for Deuteronomy 19:10

Deuteronomy 19:10 is part of a section in the book of Deuteronomy that deals with various laws and regulations for the Israelite community. The verse emphasizes the importance of justice and the sanctity of life within the legal system of ancient Israel. Here's a concise summary of the themes and historical context:

**Themes:**
1. **Justice and Righteousness:** The verse underscores the necessity of maintaining justice by ensuring that the innocent are not wrongly punished. It reflects the broader biblical theme that justice is a cornerstone of a righteous society.
2. **Sanctity of Life:** Life is considered sacred, and the shedding of innocent blood is a grave sin. This principle is rooted in the belief that humans are created in the image of God.
3. **Responsibility of the Community:** The verse suggests that allowing innocent blood to be shed pollutes the land and brings guilt upon the entire community. This communal responsibility is a recurring theme in the Old Testament.
4. **Inheritance and Land:** The land of Canaan is given to the Israelites by God as an inheritance, and they are to keep it pure by administering justice and avoiding bloodshed.

**Historical Context:**
- **The Setting:** Deuteronomy is presented as a series of speeches given by Moses to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
- **The Law Code:** The book contains a law code that was to govern the social, religious, and political life of the Israelites once they settled in Canaan. This code includes civil, criminal, and religious laws.
- **The Covenant:** The laws in Deuteronomy are part of a covenant renewal between God and Israel. Moses reiterates the importance of obeying God's commands as a condition for prospering in the land.
- **The Era:** The historical context of Deuteronomy is generally placed in the late 2nd millennium BCE, during the period of the Israelite settlement in Canaan.

In summary, Deuteronomy 19:10 is a call to uphold justice and prevent the shedding of innocent blood, reflecting the values of purity, responsibility, and the sacredness of life that were to guide the Israelite society in the land they were about to inherit.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H5355
    There are 42 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָקִי
    Transliteration: nâqîy
    Pronunciation: naw-kee'
    Description: or נָקִיא; (Joel 4:19; Jonah [1:14), from נָקָה; innocent; blameless, clean, clear, exempted, free, guiltless, innocent, quit.
  2. Strong's Number: H1818
    There are 295 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: דָּם
    Transliteration: dâm
    Pronunciation: dawm
    Description: from דָּמַם (compare אָדַם); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood); blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), [phrase] innocent.
  3. Strong's Number: H8210
    There are 111 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁפַךְ
    Transliteration: shâphak
    Pronunciation: shaw-fak'
    Description: a primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively, to sprawl out; cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip.
  4. Strong's Number: H7130
    There are 220 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קֶרֶב
    Transliteration: qereb
    Pronunciation: keh'-reb
    Description: from קָרַב; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition); [idiom] among, [idiom] before, bowels, [idiom] unto charge, [phrase] eat (up), [idiom] heart, [idiom] him, [idiom] in, inward ([idiom] -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, [phrase] out of, purtenance, [idiom] therein, [idiom] through, [idiom] within self.
  5. Strong's Number: H776
    There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶרֶץ
    Transliteration: ʼerets
    Pronunciation: eh'-rets
    Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
  6. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
  7. Strong's Number: H430
    There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
    Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
    Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
    Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.
  8. Strong's Number: H5414
    There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָתַן
    Transliteration: nâthan
    Pronunciation: naw-than'
    Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
  9. Strong's Number: H5159
    There are 191 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נַחֲלָה
    Transliteration: nachălâh
    Pronunciation: nakh-al-aw'
    Description: from נָחַל (in its usual sense); properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion; heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession. Compare נַחַל.