Deuteronomy 17:8–9

⁵But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

⁵But vnto the place which the LORD your God shall ^*chuse out of all your tribes, to put his name there, euen vnto his habitation shall yee seeke, and thither thou shalt come:

¹¹Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

¹¹Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Aske now the priests concerning the law, saying,

¹⁷Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

^17*Ye shall not ^†respect persons in iudgement, but you shall heare the small aswell as the great: you shall not bee afraid of the face of man, for the iudgment is Gods: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it vnto me, and I will heare it.

¹⁶¶ Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

¹⁷And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

¹⁸And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

¹⁹And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it.

²⁰And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

²¹And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

²²And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.

²³Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.

²⁴And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.

²⁵And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

²⁶Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

²⁷Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

²⁸And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

¹⁶¶ Then came there two women that were harlots, vnto the king, and stood before him.

¹⁷And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I was deliuered of a childe, with her in the house.

¹⁸And it came to passe the third day after that I was deliuered, that this woman was deliuered also: and wee were together; there was no stranger with vs in the house, saue we two in the house.

¹⁹And this womans childe died in the night: because she ouerlaid it.

²⁰And shee arose at midnight, and tooke my sonne from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and layd it in her bosome, and layd her dead childe in my bosome.

²¹And when I rose in the morning to giue my childe sucke, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, beholde, it was not my sonne, which I did beare.

²²And the other woman said, Nay, but the liuing is my sonne, and the dead is thy sonne: And this said, No, but the dead is thy sonne, and the liuing is my sonne. Thus they spake before the king.

²³Then said the King, The one saith, This is my sonne, that liueth, and thy sonne is the dead: and the other saith Nay: but thy sonne is the dead, and my sonne is the liuing.

²⁴And the King said, Bring mee a sword. And they brought a sword before the king:

²⁵And the king said, Diuide the liuing childe in two, and giue halfe to the one, and halfe to the other.

²⁶Then spake the woman whose the liuing childe was, vnto the king, (for her bowels ^†yerned vpon her sonne) and she said, O my lord, giue her the liuing childe, and in no wise slay it: But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but diuide it.

²⁷Then the King answered and said, Giue her the liuing child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

²⁸And all Israel heard of the Iudgement which the king had iudged, and they feared the King: for they saw that the wisedome of God was ^†in him, to doe Iudgement.

⁸¶ Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.

⁹And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

¹⁰And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

⁸¶ Moreouer in Ierusalem did Iehoshaphat set of the Leuites, and of the Priests, and of the chiefe of the fathers of Israel, for the iudgement of the LORD, and for controuersies, when they returned to Ierusalem.

⁹And hee charged them, saying, Thus shall yee doe in the feare of the LORD faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

¹⁰And what cause soeuer shal come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, betweene blood and blood, betweene Law and Commandement, Statutes and Iudgements, yee shall euen warne them that they trespasse not against the LORD, and so wrath come vpon you, and vpon your brethren: this doe, & ye shall not trespasse.

¹⁷Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;

¹⁷Then both the men betweene whom the controuersie is, shall stand before the LORD, before the Priests, and the Iudges, which shall be in those dayes.

⁴¶ 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;

⁴¶ And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither, that hee may liue: who so killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not ^†in time past,

²⁶And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

²⁶And they iudged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought vnto Moses, but euery small matter they iudged themselues.

¹²¶ He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

¹³And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

¹⁴But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

¹²¶ ^*He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shalbe surely put to death.

¹³And if a man lye not in wait, but God deliuer him into his hand, then ^*I will appoint thee a place whither hee shall flee:

¹⁴But if a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine Altar, that he may die.

²⁰¶ And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

²⁰¶ And if a man smite his seruant, or his mayd, with a rod, and hee die vnder his hand, hee shall bee surely ^†punished:

²²¶ If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

²²¶ If men striue, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischiefe follow, he shalbe surely punished, according as the womans husband will lay vpon him, and hee shall pay as the Iudges determine.

²⁸¶ If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.

²⁸¶ If an oxe gore a man, or a woman, that they die, then ^*the oxe shal be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten: but the owner of the oxe shall be quitte.

²¶ If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

²¶ If a thiefe bee found breaking vp, and be smitten that he die, there shal no blood be shed for him.

⁷For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

⁷For the priests lips should keepe knowledge, and they should seeke the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hostes.

¹¹Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.

¹¹Then ye shall appoint you cities, to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither which killeth any person ^†at vnawares.

¹⁶And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

^16*And if he smite him with an instrument of Iron, (so that he die,) hee is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

¹⁹The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

²⁰But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

²¹Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

²²But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,

²³Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:

²⁴Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:

²⁵And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

²⁶But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;

²⁷And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

²⁸Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

²⁹So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

³⁰Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

³¹Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

³²And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

³³So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

³⁴Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.

¹⁹The reuenger of blood himselfe shall slay the murtherer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

^20*But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurle at him by laying of waite that he die,

²¹Or in enmitie smite him with his hand, that he die: hee that smote him shall surely be put to death, for hee is a murderer: the reuenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when hee meeteth him.

²²But if hee thrust him suddenly ^*without enmitie, or haue cast vpon him any thing without laying of wait,

²³Or with any stone wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it vpon him, that he die, and was not his enemie, neither sought his harme:

²⁴Then the Congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer, and the reuenger of blood, according to these iudgements.

²⁵And the Congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hand of the reuenger of blood, and the Congregation shal restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it vnto the death of the high Priest, which was annoynted with the holy oyle.

²⁶But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the citie of his refuge, whither he was fled:

²⁷And the reuenger of blood finde him without the borders of the citie of his refuge, and the reuenger of blood kill the slayer, he ^†shall not be guiltie of blood:

²⁸Because he should haue remained in the citie of his refuge, vntill the death of the high Priest: but after the death of the hie Priest, the slayer shal returne into the land of his possession.

²⁹So these things shall be for a statute of iudgment vnto you, thorowout your generations in al your dwellings.

³⁰Who so killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death, by the ^*mouth of witnesses: but one witnesse shall not testifie against any person, to cause him to die.

³¹Moreouer, yee shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is ^†guiltie of death, but he shalbe surely put to death.

³²And yee shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the citie of his refuge, that hee should come againe to dwell in the land, vntil the death of the Priest.

³³So ye shall not pollute the lande wherein ye are: for blood, it defileth the land: and the ^†land cannot bee cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

³⁴Defile not therefore the lande which yee shall inhabite, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

⁴Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.

⁵For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

⁴Whither the tribes goe vp, the tribes of the LORD, vnto the testimonie of Israel: to giue thankes vnto the name of the LORD.

^5†For there are set thrones of iudgment: the thrones of the house of Dauid.

¹⁰That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

¹¹¶ But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:

¹⁰That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the LORD thy God giueth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be vpon thee.

¹¹¶ But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him, and rise vp against him, and smite him ^†mortally that hee die, and fleeth into one of these Cities:

²⁴And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.

²⁴And in controuersie they shall stand in iudgement, and they shall iudge it according to my iudgements: and they shall keepe my lawes and my statutes in all mine assemblies, and they shall halow my Sabbaths.

¹¹Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

¹¹Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Aske now the priests concerning the law, saying,

⁷For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

⁷For the priests lips should keepe knowledge, and they should seeke the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hostes.

¹⁷Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;

¹⁸And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

¹⁹Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

²⁰And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

²¹And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

¹⁷Then both the men betweene whom the controuersie is, shall stand before the LORD, before the Priests, and the Iudges, which shall be in those dayes.

¹⁸And the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition: and behold, if the witnesse be a false witnesse, and hath testified falsly against his brother:

^19*Then shall ye doe vnto him, as he had thought to haue done vnto his brother: so shalt thou put the euil away from among you.

²⁰And those which remaine shall heare, and feare, and shall hencefoorth commit no more any such euill among you.

²¹And thine eye shall not pitie, but ^*life shall goe for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

¹⁸¶ Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

¹⁸¶ ^*‖Then said they, Come, and let vs deuise deuices against Ieremiah: for the Law shall not perish from the Priest, nor counsell from the wise, nor the word from the prophet: Come and let vs smite him with the tongue, and let vs not giue heede to any of his wordes.