Deuteronomy 19:5

as when a man goeth Heb. and who goeth, continuing the construction of the previous clause; but EVV."s rendering is possible by a slight emendation of the Heb.

forest As in most instances in which forest is used by EVV., the term misleads. Heb. ya-arwas one antithesis to fertile or cultivated land (Isaiah 29:7) and, as evident from the conditions of Palestine today as well as those reflected in the O.T. (HGHL, 80 f., Jerus.i. 78, 305), must usually have meant copseor jungleor, at the most, woodland. The Ar. wa-aris -rocky ground," whether with or without bush.

and his hand fetcheth a stroke Heb. is driven, or lets drive, with the axe.

helve R.V. marg., tree; which offers the alternative meaning, that the edge of the axe slipped aside from the tree which it struck. But Heb. "çṣ, which = both tree(as in the previous clause) and piece of wood, means here the latter, and the vb is to be translated slippeth off from(Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15 of the sandal from the foot; cp. Deuteronomy 7:1; Deuteronomy 7:22; Deuteronomy 28:40). LXX falleth off(probably reading naphalfor nashal, cp. 2 Kings 6:5). -One sees exactly how the law grows out of the actual relations of everyday life" (Berth.).

he shall flee unto one of these cities and live Joshua 20:4 (a deuteron. addition to P's law) says that he shall first, at the gate, state his case to the elders.