Deuteronomy 19:4

4 This shall be the law of a manslayer fleeing, whose life shall be kept. If a man smiteth unwittingly his neighbour, and which is proved to have not had any hatred against him yesterday, and the third day ago, (This shall be the law for anyone fleeing manslaughter, whose life shall be saved. If anyone unwittingly, or unintentionally, striketh down his neighbour, and is proved to have not had any hatred against him yesterday, and the third day ago,)

Deuteronomy 19:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:4

And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither,
that he may live
It was not any slayer that might have protection in these cities, but such who were thus and thus circumstanced, or whose case was as follows:

whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly;
without intention, as the Targum of Jonathan, did not design it, but was done by him unawares:

whom he hated not in time past;
had never shown by words or deeds that he had any hatred of him or enmity to him three days ago; so that if there were no marks of hatred, or proofs of it three days before this happened, it was reckoned an accidental thing, and not done on purpose, as this phrase is usually interpreted; see ( Exodus 21:29 ) .

Deuteronomy 19:4 In-Context

2 thou shalt separate three cities to thee in the midst of the land, which thy Lord God shall give to thee into possession. (thou shalt set apart three cities for thee in the midst of the land, which the Lord thy God shall give thee for a possession.)

3 Thou shalt make ready diligently the way, and thou shalt part evenly into three parts all the province(s) of thy land, that he that is exiled for manslaying, have nigh (at) hand whither he may escape. (Thou shalt diligently make ready the way, and thou shalt evenly divide all the provinces of thy land into three parts, so that anyone who is exiled for manslaughter, shall have a place close at hand to which they can escape.)

4 This shall be the law of a manslayer fleeing, whose life shall be kept. If a man smiteth unwittingly his neighbour, and which is proved to have not had any hatred against him yesterday, and the third day ago, (This shall be the law for anyone fleeing manslaughter, whose life shall be saved. If anyone unwittingly, or unintentionally, striketh down his neighbour, and is proved to have not had any hatred against him yesterday, and the third day ago,)

5 but to have gone simply with him into the wood to hew down trees, and in the felling down of trees the ax flieth from his hand, and the iron slideth from the helve, and smiteth, and slayeth his friend; this man shall flee to one of the foresaid cities, and shall live; (but simply to have gone into the woods with him to cut down some trees, and in the felling down of the trees, the ax flieth out of his hand, and the iron slideth from the helve, and striketh, and killeth his friend; this person shall flee to one of the foresaid cities, and shall be safe there;)

6 lest peradventure the next kinsman of him, whose blood is shed out, be pricked with sorrow, and pursue, and (over)take him, if the way is longer, and slay his life, that is not guilty of death; for it is showed that he had not any hatred before against him that is slain. (lest the next of kin of him whose blood is shed out, be pricked with sorrow, and he pursue the killer, and overtake him, because the way is long, and then take the life of him who is truly not guilty of murder; for it was shown that he had no hatred before against that person who was killed.)