The Skeptics Annotated Bible (186 page)

20
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

(18.20)
“But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.”

21 And if thou say in thine heart,
How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

(18.21)
“How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?”

22
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not
, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but
the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously
: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

(18.22)
“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not … the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously.”

19
When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.

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;

5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour 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 neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

8 And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;

9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

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

(19.11-13) A murderer is to be killed by “the avenger of blood,” which is the victim’s nearest relative.

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:

(19.11)
“If any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die.”

12
Then 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.

(19.12)
“Then 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.”

13
Thine eye shall not pity him
, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.

(19.13)
“Thine eye shall not pity him.”

14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

15
One 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 the matter be established.

(19.15)
“One 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 the matter be established.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses use this verse (along with 1Tim 5.19, 2 Cor 13.1, and Mt 18.16) to justify their refusal to report or investigate incidents of child molestation unless two or three JWs have witnessed the event. If witnesses do not come forward (and they are discouraged from doing so since it would embarrass the organization), then the victim is told to be quiet about it— or risk being disfellowshipped.

16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;

17 Then 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;

(19.18-19) False witnesses are to be executed.

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

(19.18)
“If the witness be a false witness,”

19
Then 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.

(19.19)
“Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother.”

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

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

(19.21)
“And thine eye shall not pity. Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

20
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

4
For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies
, to save you.

(20.4)
“For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies.”
God will go with you, and fight against your enemies.