The Meaning of Deuteronomy 19:4 Explained

Deuteronomy 19:4

KJV: And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;

YLT: 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,

Darby: And this is the case of the slayer who shall flee thither that he may live: he that smiteth his neighbour unwittingly, whom he hated not previously;

ASV: And 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;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And this [is] the case  of the slayer,  which shall flee  thither, that he may live:  Whoso killeth  his neighbour  ignorantly,  whom he hated  not in time  past; 

What does Deuteronomy 19:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 19

1  The cities of refuge
4  The privilege thereof for the manslayer
14  The landmark is not to be removed
15  At least two witnesses are required
16  the punishment of a false witness

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 19:4 mean?

And this [is] the case of the manslayer who flees there that he may live Whoever kills - his neighbor not intentionally and him not intended harm to him in past time
וְזֶה֙ דְּבַ֣ר הָרֹצֵ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־ יָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וָחָ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַכֶּ֤ה אֶת־ רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־ דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹא־ שֹׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמֹ֥ל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם

וְזֶה֙  And  this  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
דְּבַ֣ר  the  case 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָרֹצֵ֔חַ  of  the  manslayer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָצַח  
Sense: to murder, slay, kill.
יָנ֥וּס  flees 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
וָחָ֑י  that  he  may  live 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  Whoever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יַכֶּ֤ה  kills 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙  his  neighbor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
דַ֔עַת  intentionally 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דַּעַת 
Sense: knowledge.
וְה֛וּא  and  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
שֹׂנֵ֥א  intended  harm 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
ל֖וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
מִתְּמֹ֥ל  in  past 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: תְּמֹול  
Sense: before, before that time, beforetime, heretofore, of late, of old, these days, time(s) past, yesterday, day before yesterday, recently, formerly.
שִׁלְשֹֽׁם  time 
Parse: Adverb
Root: שִׁלְשֹׁום  
Sense: day before yesterday, three days ago.