Verse 10

Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you(whether it involves a violent crime or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the LORD. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues, but if you obey, you will be free of guilt.

Referenced Verses

  • Deut 17:8-9 : 8 Appeal to a Higher Court If a matter is too difficult for you to judge– bloodshed, legal claim, or assault– matters of controversy in your villages– you must leave there and go up to the place the LORD your God chooses. 9 You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict. 10 You must then do as they have determined at that place the LORD chooses. Be careful to do just as you are taught. 11 You must do what you are instructed, and the verdict they pronounce to you, without fail. Do not deviate right or left from what they tell you. 12 The person who pays no attention to the priest currently serving the LORD your God there, or to the judge– that person must die, so that you may purge evil from Israel. 13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and not be so presumptuous again.
  • Josh 22:18-20 : 18 Now today you dare to turn back from following the LORD! You are rebelling today against the LORD; tomorrow he may break out in anger against the entire community of Israel. 19 But if your own land is impure, cross over to the LORD’s own land, where the LORD himself lives, and settle down among us. But don’t rebel against the LORD or us by building for yourselves an altar aside from the altar of the LORD our God. 20 When Achan son of Zerah disobeyed the command about the city’s riches, the entire Israelite community was judged, though only one man had sinned. He most certainly died for his sin!’”
  • 2 Chr 19:2 : 2 the prophet Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; he said to King Jehoshaphat,“Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the LORD? Because you have done this the LORD is angry with you!
  • Ezek 3:18-21 : 18 When I say to the wicked,“You will certainly die,” and you do not warn him– you do not speak out to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked lifestyle so that he may live– that wicked person will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death. 19 But as for you, if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wicked deed and from his wicked lifestyle, he will die for his iniquity but you will have saved your own life. 20 “When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I set an obstacle before him, he will die. If you have not warned him, he will die for his sin. The righteous deeds he performed will not be considered, but I will hold you accountable for his death. 21 However, if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he will certainly live because he was warned, and you will have saved your own life.”
  • Ezek 33:6 : 6 But suppose the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death.’
  • Acts 20:31 : 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.
  • 1 Thess 5:14 : 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.
  • Num 16:46 : 46 Then Moses said to Aaron,“Take the censer, put burning coals from the altar in it, place incense on it, and go quickly into the assembly and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD– the plague has begun!”