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Monday, December 22nd, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

Exodus 21:14

But if a man wants to hurt his neighbor and he plans to kill him, then you take him away from My altar and put him to death.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Altar;   Homicide;   Refuge;   Thompson Chain Reference - Capital Punishment;   Death Penalty;   Penalty, Death;   Punishment;   The Topic Concordance - Execution;   Violence;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Altars;   Cities of Refuge;   Homicide;   Murder;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Murder;   Refuge, Cities of;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - City of refuge;   Horn;   Sanctuary;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Altar;   Kill, Killing;   Law;   Motives;   Murder;   Punishment;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Murder;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Joab;   Law;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Avenger;   Cities of Refuge;   Exodus, Book of;   Hammurabi;   Pentateuch;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Covenant, Book of the;   Deuteronomy;   Ethics;   Hexateuch;   Kin;   Law;   Leviticus;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Refuge, Cities of;   Sabbatical Year;   Sin;   Slave, Slavery;   Ten Commandments;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Murder (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - The Brazen Altar;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Murder;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Goel;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Tabernacle, the;   Peculiarities of the Law of Moses;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Altar;   Anthropology;   Assassination;   Asylum;   Covenant, the Book of the;   Die;   Guile;   Law in the Old Testament;   Murder;   Presume;   Punishments;   Sanctuary;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Blood-revenge;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Asylum;   Cruelty;   Gentile;   Go'el;   Homicide;   Jose (Isi, Issi) ben aḳabya (Akiba);   Sanctuary;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
King James Version
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Lexham English Bible
But if a man schemes against his neighbor to kill him by treachery, you will take him from my altar to die.
New Century Version
But if someone plans and murders another person on purpose, put him to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.
New English Translation
But if a man willfully attacks his neighbor to kill him cunningly, you will take him even from my altar that he may die.
Amplified Bible
"But if a man acts intentionally against another and kills him by [design through] treachery, you are to take him from My altar [to which he may have fled for protection], so that he may be put to death.
New American Standard Bible
"If, however, someone is enraged against his neighbor, so as to kill him in a cunning way, you are to take him even from My altar, to be put to death.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But if a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Legacy Standard Bible
If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him by deceit, you shall take him even from My altar, that he may die.
Contemporary English Version
If you plan in advance to murder someone, there's no escape, not even by holding on to my altar. You will be dragged off and killed.
Complete Jewish Bible
But if someone willfully kills another after deliberate planning, you are to take him even from my altar and put him to death.
Darby Translation
But if a man act wantonly toward his neighbour, and slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Easy-to-Read Version
But whoever plans to kill someone out of anger or hatred must be punished. Take them away from my altar and kill them.
English Standard Version
But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
George Lamsa Translation
But if a man ventures to attack his neighbor and slay him treacherously, you shall take him even from my altar to put him to death.
Good News Translation
But when someone gets angry and deliberately kills someone else, he is to be put to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.
Christian Standard Bible®
If a person schemes and willfully acts against his neighbor to murder him, you must take him from my altar to be put to death.
Literal Translation
And when a man seethes insolently against his neighbor, to kill him by deceit, you shall take him from My altar to die.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But yf a man presume vpon his neghboure, and slaye him with disceate, then shalt thou take the same fro myne altare, that he maye be slayne.
American Standard Version
And if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Bible in Basic English
But if a man makes an attack on his neighbour on purpose, to put him to death by deceit, you are to take him from my altar and put him to death.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If a man come presumpteously vpon his neyghbour to slay hym with guyle, thou shalt take him from myne aulter that he dye.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from Mine altar, that he may die.
King James Version (1611)
But if a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine Altar, that he may die.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if any one lie in wait for his neighbour to slay him by craft, and he go for refuge, thou shalt take him from my altar to put him to death.
English Revised Version
And if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Berean Standard Bible
But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If ony man sleeth his neiybore bi biforecastyng, and bi aspies, drawe thou hym awey fro myn auter, that he die.
Young's Literal Translation
`And when a man doth presume against his neighbour to slay him with subtilty, from Mine altar thou dost take him to die.
Update Bible Version
And if a man comes presumptuously on his neighbor, to slay him with guile; you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
Webster's Bible Translation
But if a man shall come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from my altar, that he may die.
World English Bible
If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
New King James Version
"But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.
New Living Translation
However, if someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and be put to death.
New Revised Standard
But if someone willfully attacks and kills another by treachery, you shall take the killer from my altar for execution.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, when a man shall act presumptuously against his neighbour to slay him with guile, from mine altar, shalt thou take him to die.
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.
Revised Standard Version
But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him treacherously, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

Contextual Overview

12 "Whoever hits a man so that he dies will be put to death. 13 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. 14 But if a man wants to hurt his neighbor and he plans to kill him, then you take him away from My altar and put him to death. 15 "Whoever hits his father or his mother will be put to death. 16 "Whoever steals a man and sells him, or keeps him for himself, will be put to death. 17 Whoever curses his father or his mother will be put to death. 18 "When men argue and one hits the other with a stone or with his hand, and he does not die but has to stay in bed because of it, 19 then if he gets up and walks around outside using his walking stick, the one who hit him will not be punished. He will only pay for the loss of his time. And he will take care of him until he is healed. 20 "When a man hits his male or female servant with a stick so that he or she dies, he will be punished. 21 But if he or she lives a day or two, he will not be punished, for his servant belongs to him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

presumptuously: Numbers 15:30, Numbers 15:31, Deuteronomy 1:43, Deuteronomy 17:12, Deuteronomy 17:13, Deuteronomy 18:22, Deuteronomy 19:11-13, 1 Kings 2:29-34, Psalms 19:13, Hebrews 10:26, 2 Peter 2:10

slay: Numbers 35:20, Numbers 35:21, Deuteronomy 27:24, 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 20:9, 2 Samuel 20:10

take him: 1 Kings 1:50, 1 Kings 1:51, 1 Kings 2:28-34, 2 Kings 11:15

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:13 - General Numbers 35:31 - Moreover Joshua 20:2 - Appoint 1 Kings 2:31 - Do 2 Kings 11:8 - he that cometh 2 Chronicles 23:7 - whosoever 2 Chronicles 23:14 - Have her forth 2 Chronicles 25:3 - he slew Psalms 51:16 - desirest Proverbs 28:17 - General Daniel 3:14 - true 1 Timothy 1:9 - manslayers

Cross-References

Genesis 16:7
The angel of the Lord found Hagar by a well of water in the desert on the way to Shur.
Genesis 19:27
Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord.
Genesis 21:6
And Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. All who hear will laugh with me."
Genesis 21:7
She said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet when he is so old I have given him a son."
Genesis 21:23
So promise me here by God that you will not work against me, or my son, or any children after me. I have shown you kindness. So return kindness to me and to the land where you have come."
Genesis 21:25
But Abraham spoke to Abimelech about a well of water that the servants of Abimelech had taken.
Genesis 21:31
So he gave that place the name Beersheba because both of them made a promise there.
Genesis 21:33
Abraham planted a tree at Beersheba. He called there on the name of the Lord, the God Who lives forever.
Genesis 22:3
So Abraham got up early in the morning and got his donkey ready. He took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac. He cut wood for the burnt gift. And he went to the place where God told him to go.
Genesis 22:19
So Abraham returned to his young men. And they got up and went with him to Beersheba. Abraham made his home there.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile,.... That comes with malice in his heart, with wrath in his countenance, in a bold, daring, hostile manner, using all the art, cunning, and contrivance he can, to take away the life of his neighbour; no asylum, no refuge, not anything to screen him from justice is to be allowed him: hence, a messenger of the sanhedrim, or an executioner, one that inflicts the forty stripes, save one, or a physician, or one that chastises his son or scholar, under whose hands persons may die, do not come under this law; for though what they do they may do wilfully, yet not with guile, as Jarchi and others observe, not with an ill design, but for good:

thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die: that being the place which in early times criminals had recourse unto, Joab and others, as well as in later times, to secure them from vengeance; but a man guilty of wilful murder was not to be protected in this way; and the Targum of Jonathan is,

"though he is a priest, (the Jerusalem Targum has it, an high priest,) and ministers at mine altar, thou shalt take him from thence, and slay him with the sword,''

so Jarchi; but the law refers not to a person ministering in his office at the altar of the Lord, but to one that should flee there for safety, which yet he should not have.

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 21:14. Thou shalt take him from mine altar — Before the cities of refuge were assigned, the altar of God was the common asylum.


 
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