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.
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.
[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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.