Exodus 21 · Verse 14

Exodus 21:14

But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Exodus 21:14, King James Version

Exodus 21:14 in other translations

BSBBut if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.
WEBIf a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
ASVAnd if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
YLT‘And when a man doth presume against his neighbour to slay him with subtilty, from Mine altar thou dost take him to die.
DARBYBut if a man act wantonly toward his neighbour, and slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
BBEBut if a man makes an attack on his neighbour on purpose, to put him to death by deceit, you are to take him from my altar and put him to death.
WebsterBut if a man shall come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from my altar, that he may die.

What does Exodus 21:14 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Thou shalt take him from mine altar - Before the cities of refuge were assigned, the altar of God was the common asylum.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 21:12-21

God, who by his providence gives and maintains life, by his law protects it. A wilful murderer shall be taken even from God's altar. But God provided cities of refuge to protect those whose unhappiness it was, and not their fault, to cause the death of another; for such as by accident, when a man is doing a lawful act, without intent of hurt, happens to kill another. Let children hear the sentence of God's word upon…

Read the full comment on Exodus 21:12-21 →

Exodus 21:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְכִֽי\־ve.khi-and ifH3588
יָזִ֥דya.Zidhe will act presumptuouslyH2102
אִ֛ישׁ'ishanyoneH376
עַל\־'al-onH5921
רֵעֵ֖הוּre.'E.huneighbor hisH7453
לְהָרְג֣וֹle.ha.re.Goto kill himH2026
בְעָרְמָ֑הve.'a.re.Mahwith cunningH6195
מֵעִ֣םme.'Imfrom withH5973
מִזְבְּחִ֔יmiz.be.Chialtar myH4196
תִּקָּחֶ֖נּוּti.ka.Che.nuyou will take himH3947
לָמֽוּת\׃\ \סla.Mutto dieH4191

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 21:14

  • 1 Kings 2:28-34

    Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father. …

  • Hebrews 10:26

    For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

  • Deuteronomy 1:43

    So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill.

  • 1 Kings 1:50-51

    And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

  • Numbers 15:30-31

    But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

  • Numbers 35:20-21

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

  • Psalms 19:13

    Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

  • 2 Samuel 20:9-10

    And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

  • Deuteronomy 19:11-13

    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: 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. 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.

  • Deuteronomy 17:12-13

    And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

  • 2 Peter 2:10

    But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

  • 2 Kings 11:15

    But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
presumptuously.
Nu 15:30,31; De 1:43; 17:12,13; 18:22; 19:11-13; 1Ki 2:29-34
Ps 19:13; Heb 10:26; 2Pe 2:10
slay.
Nu 35:20,21; De 27:24; 2Sa 3:27; 20:9,10
take him.
1Ki 1:50,51; 2:28-34; 2Ki 11:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 21:13

    And 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.

  • Exodus 21:14

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

  • Exodus 21:15

    And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

Read all of Exodus 21

Exodus 21:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Además, si alguno se ensoberbeciere contra su prójimo, y lo matare con alevosía, de mi altar lo quitarás para que muera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et si un homme s’élève de propos délibéré contre son prochain, pour le tuer par ruse, tu l’arracheras de mon autel, pour qu’il meure.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und so jemand wider seinen Nächsten vermessen handelt, daß er ihn umbringt mit Hinterlist-von meinem Altar sollst du ihn wegnehmen, daß er sterbe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si quis per industriam occiderit proximum suum, et per insidias: ab altari meo evelles eum, ut moriatur.