Deuteronomy 19 Comparison: American Standard Version vs Young's Literal Translation
Deuteronomy 19
1When 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;
2thou shalt set apart three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which Jehovah thy God causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither.
4And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in time past;
5as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbor, so that he dieth; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live:
6lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
7Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt set apart three cities for thee.
8And if Jehovah thy God enlarge thy border, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
9if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, besides these three:
10that 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.
11But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally so that he dieth, and he flee into one of these cities;
12then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
13Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
14Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set, in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit, in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
16If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing,
17then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days;
18and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and have testified falsely against his brother;
19then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to do unto his brother: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.
20And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee.
21And thine eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Deuteronomy 19
1`When Jehovah thy God doth cut off the nations, whose land Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, and thou hast succeeded them, and dwelt in their cities, and in their houses,
2three cities thou dost separate for thee in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee to possess it.
3Thou dost prepare for thee the way, and hast divided into three parts the border of thy land which Jehovah thy God doth cause thee to inherit, and it hath been for the fleeing thither of every man-slayer.
4`And this is the matter of the man-slayer who fleeth thither, and hath lived: He who smiteth his neighbour unknowingly, and is not hating him heretofore,
5even he who cometh in with his neighbour into a forest to hew wood, and his hand hath driven with an axe to cut the tree, and the iron hath slipped from the wood, and hath met his neighbour, and he hath diedhe doth flee unto one of these cities, and hath lived,
6lest the redeemer of blood pursue after the man-slayer when his heart is hot, and hath overtaken him (because the way is great), and hath smitten himthe life, and he hath no sentence of death, for he is not hating him heretofore;
7therefore I am commanding thee, saying, Three cities thou dost separate to thee.
8`And if Jehovah thy God doth enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn to thy fathers, and hath given to thee all the land which He hath spoken to give to thy fathers
9when thou keepest all this command to do it, which I am commanding thee to-day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk in His ways all the daysthen thou hast added to thee yet three cities to these three;
10and innocent blood is not shed in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to theean inheritance, and there hath been upon thee blood.
11`And when a man is hating his neighbour, and hath lain in wait for him, and risen against him, and smitten himthe life, and he hath died, and he hath fled unto one of these cities,
12then the elders of his city have sent and taken him from thence, and given him into the hand of the redeemer of blood, and he hath died;
13thine eye hath no pity on him, and thou hast put away the innocent blood from Israel, and it is well with thee.
14`Thou dost not remove a border of thy neighbour, which they of former times have made, in thine inheritance, which thou dost inherit in the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee to possess it.
15`One witness doth not rise against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin which he sinneth; by the mouth of two witnesses, or by the mouth of three witnesses, is a thing established.
16`When a violent witness doth rise against a man, to testify against him apostasy,
17then have both the men who have the strife stood before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges who are in those days,
18and the judges have searched diligently, and lo, the witness is a false witness, a falsehood he hath testified against his brother:
19`Then ye have done to him as he devised to do to his brother, and thou hast put away the evil thing out of thy midst,
20and those who are left do hear and fear, and add not to do any more according to this evil thing in thy midst;
21and thine eye doth not pitylife for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Understanding American Standard Version vs Young's Literal Translation in Deuteronomy 19
American Standard Version (ASV)
A highly literal translation known for accuracy and adherence to the original Hebrew and Greek. Consistent word choices make it excellent for careful study and cross-referencing. A strong pick for readers who want a precise, classic-modern English Bible.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
An extremely literal, word-for-word translation that preserves original verb tenses and phrasing. Best for close study and comparing structures from the source languages. The English can feel rigid, but it’s very useful for detailed analysis.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of Deuteronomy 19 in the American Standard Version and Young's Literal Translation. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: Deuteronomy 19:16
"If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing,"
"`When a violent witness doth rise against a man, to testify against him apostasy,"
