Deuteronomy 19:1

¶ When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

When the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} hath cut off {H3772} the nations {H1471}, whose land {H776} the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} giveth {H5414} thee, and thou succeedest {H3423} them, and dwellest {H3427} in their cities {H5892}, and in their houses {H1004};

"When ADONAI your God cuts off the nations whose land ADONAI your God is giving you, and you take their place and settle in their cities and houses,

When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,

When Jehovah thy God shall cut off the nations, whose land Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:1 serves as a foundational preamble to a crucial set of laws concerning justice and protection in the land of Canaan. Moses, speaking to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, looks forward to the time when they will have successfully entered and possessed the promised land.

Context

This verse opens a new section of God's law, specifically introducing the regulations for the cities of refuge. It paints a picture of the future, a time when Israel has completed the conquest of Canaan and established itself in the territory. The preceding chapters in Deuteronomy deal with various covenant stipulations, blessings, and curses, while this chapter shifts focus to the practical administration of justice within the future nation. The phrase "When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations" highlights God's active role in clearing the land for His people, a divine act of judgment against the wicked inhabitants and a fulfillment of His covenant promises.

Key Themes

  • Divine Faithfulness and Sovereignty: The verse emphasizes that it is "the LORD thy God" who will "cut off the nations" and "giveth thee" their land. This underscores God's absolute control over history and His unwavering commitment to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob regarding the promised land.
  • Conquest and Inheritance: It describes the process of Israel succeeding the previous inhabitants and dwelling in their cities and houses. This speaks to the tangible reality of the inheritance God was providing, not just a nomadic existence but a settled life with established infrastructure. The act of "succeeding them" implies both displacement and taking possession.
  • Preparation for Justice: While not explicitly stated in this single verse, the entire purpose of this introduction is to set the stage for detailed laws, particularly those concerning unintentional homicide and the establishment of safe havens. It signifies a transition from conquest to the establishment of a just and ordered society under God's law.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase "cut off" (כָּרַת - karath) often implies a decisive act of destruction or termination. In this context, it refers to the divine judgment against the Canaanite nations, clearing the way for Israel's settlement. The term "giveth" (נָתַן - nathan) consistently highlights God as the ultimate source of Israel's blessings and inheritance. These terms reinforce the idea that the land was not taken by Israel's own might alone, but was a gracious gift from God, contingent upon their obedience to His commands, as seen in Deuteronomy 7:1-2.

Practical Application and Reflection

Deuteronomy 19:1 reminds us of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, even when the path to that fulfillment involves significant challenges. For the Israelites, this verse was a guarantee of future stability and possession. For believers today, it speaks to the certainty of God's promises in our lives and the spiritual inheritance we have in Christ. It also highlights the responsibility that comes with divine blessing; once settled, the Israelites were immediately called to establish a society governed by divine justice, which is the very purpose of the laws that follow this verse. Just as God provided a physical inheritance for Israel, He provides a spiritual inheritance for us, calling us to live justly and righteously within it.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 12:29 (7 votes)

    When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

  • Deuteronomy 6:10 (4 votes)

    And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,

  • Deuteronomy 7:1 (3 votes)

    ¶ When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;

  • Deuteronomy 7:2 (3 votes)

    And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, [and] utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

  • Deuteronomy 17:14 (3 votes)

    ¶ When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that [are] about me;

  • Deuteronomy 12:1 (2 votes)

    ¶ These [are] the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.