The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
The verse gives the slain person's nearest kinsman the duty to put the murderer to death himself when he meets him. It does not leave vengeance unchecked, but provides cities of refuge where one who caused a death could flee and stand trial before the congregation before being handed over for punishment. Only the willful, premeditated murderer found guilty was delivered up to be slain, while the unwitting or accidental slayer was protected in refuge. The avenger pursuing the manslayer to take his life pictures God's law and justice closely pursuing the sinner and demanding his life. The manslayer's flight to the city pictures the sinner's flight to Jesus Christ for salvation, safe by reaching Him and remaining in Him, but liable to judgment if he departs.
Law of Blood Vengeance
The slain person's nearest kinsman, the goel or avenger of blood, was assigned the duty to put the murderer to death when he met him. The victim's next of kin was authorized and even required to kill the murderer, and this applied to a willful murderer found guilty after a fair trial. The avenger could kill the murderer when he encountered him, and one who had killed accidentally was safe if he reached a refuge city and stayed there until the high priest died, while leaving the city made him liable to vengeance. By a different reading, the verse only describes what the blood avenger would naturally be expected or naturally do when he met the murderer, and does not legally require him to pursue and kill the accused. On that understanding it does not authorize a kinsman to take the law into his own hands or to replace a fair trial with private vengeance.
Under the strict law of life for life, the execution was to be carried out by the goel himself when he met the murderer, not by civil officers. The provision reflects a deeply rooted Hebrew custom that the Mosaic law did not abruptly abolish but mitigated by providing cities of refuge where one who caused a death could escape and receive a fair trial. The verse belongs to the laws concerning murder given together with the instructions concerning the cities given to the tribe of Levi. Its meaning is explained by the companion passage in Numbers 35:11-34 concerning the avenger of blood and a person who killed someone unintentionally.
The cities of refuge protected the accused from private vengeance until trial, where the congregation determined guilt or innocence. There the slayer could state his case before the congregation and it would be decided whether he should remain there or be handed over for punishment. The law distinguishes willful, premeditated murder from unwitting or accidental killing, so that only the unintentional slayer was protected in refuge, while a willful murderer found guilty after a fair trial was delivered up to be slain. Cities of refuge provided protection for those who caused death accidentally, and the avenger's right to slay applied to willful, premeditated murder, not to accidental death.
Intentional murder was established by such marks as hatred, lying in wait, presumption, guile, or secretly killing someone. An accidental killing was not punishable, and one witness alone could not condemn a person to death. A murderer could not buy freedom with money, and judgment was to be impartial to rich and poor alike.
Christ the True Refuge
The avenger of blood pursuing the manslayer to slay him when he meets him pictures God's law demanding the sinner's life, and the justice of God with the curses of the law closely pursuing the sinner who stands under wrath to come and in danger of hell. The manslayer's flight before the avenger to the city of refuge pictures the sinner's flight to Jesus Christ for salvation of the soul. Safety came by reaching the refuge and remaining in it, as one who had killed accidentally was safe if he reached a city of refuge and stayed there until the death of the high priest. Those who remain in Christ are safe from wrath, while those who depart from him face judgment and destruction, just as leaving the city made the slayer again liable to vengeance.
The slain person's nearest kinsman avenging the death by killing the murderer when he met him is a shadow of Christ's work as humanity's near Kinsman. Christ avenges His brethren upon death and, unlike the human avenger, raises them to a more glorious life than death took from them. The cities of refuge were God's appointment among His own people of old and were true cities of safety, unlike fortified cities of this world such as Babylon that call themselves safe yet fall and become dust and ruins. The provision of refuge by which one who sinned unintentionally could escape death illustrates a greater provision by which transgressors may obtain life. That provision is not permission to continue sinning, but encouragement to repent, return to God, and live in obedience to His law.
The avenger's right to slay applies to willful, premeditated murder, not to accidental death, for the cities gave protection to those who caused death accidentally. The lawful execution of a murderer convicted beyond question is the penalty for violating the sixth commandment, and it also restrains future crimes. As the manslayer did not think he could reach the city too soon, no one can be out of danger too soon or be safe and happy too soon. Closing with Christ upon His own terms should therefore be the very next work, all delays are highly dangerous and unreasonable, and all other concerns in this world are trifles compared with reaching safety. The old custom by which a murdered person's family vowed to slay the murderer is applied to a mother's resolve that her son devote his life to fighting intemperance as his father's murderer.
The verse gives the slain person's nearest kinsman the duty to put the murderer to death himself when he meets him. It does not leave vengeance unchecked, but provides cities of refuge where one who caused a death could flee and stand trial before the congregation before being handed over for punishment. Only the willful, premeditated murderer found guilty was delivered up to be slain, while the unwitting or accidental slayer was protected in refuge. The avenger pursuing the manslayer to take his life pictures God's law and justice closely pursuing the sinner and demanding his life. The manslayer's flight to the city pictures the sinner's flight to Jesus Christ for salvation, safe by reaching Him and remaining in Him, but liable to judgment if he departs.
Law of Blood Vengeance
The slain person's nearest kinsman, the goel or avenger of blood, was assigned the duty to put the murderer to death when he met him. The victim's next of kin was authorized and even required to kill the murderer, and this applied to a willful murderer found guilty after a fair trial. The avenger could kill the murderer when he encountered him, and one who had killed accidentally was safe if he reached a refuge city and stayed there until the high priest died, while leaving the city made him liable to vengeance. By a different reading, the verse only describes what the blood avenger would naturally be expected or naturally do when he met the murderer, and does not legally require him to pursue and kill the accused. On that understanding it does not authorize a kinsman to take the law into his own hands or to replace a fair trial with private vengeance.
Under the strict law of life for life, the execution was to be carried out by the goel himself when he met the murderer, not by civil officers. The provision reflects a deeply rooted Hebrew custom that the Mosaic law did not abruptly abolish but mitigated by providing cities of refuge where one who caused a death could escape and receive a fair trial. The verse belongs to the laws concerning murder given together with the instructions concerning the cities given to the tribe of Levi. Its meaning is explained by the companion passage in Numbers 35:11-34 concerning the avenger of blood and a person who killed someone unintentionally.
The cities of refuge protected the accused from private vengeance until trial, where the congregation determined guilt or innocence. There the slayer could state his case before the congregation and it would be decided whether he should remain there or be handed over for punishment. The law distinguishes willful, premeditated murder from unwitting or accidental killing, so that only the unintentional slayer was protected in refuge, while a willful murderer found guilty after a fair trial was delivered up to be slain. Cities of refuge provided protection for those who caused death accidentally, and the avenger's right to slay applied to willful, premeditated murder, not to accidental death.
Intentional murder was established by such marks as hatred, lying in wait, presumption, guile, or secretly killing someone. An accidental killing was not punishable, and one witness alone could not condemn a person to death. A murderer could not buy freedom with money, and judgment was to be impartial to rich and poor alike.
Christ the True Refuge
The avenger of blood pursuing the manslayer to slay him when he meets him pictures God's law demanding the sinner's life, and the justice of God with the curses of the law closely pursuing the sinner who stands under wrath to come and in danger of hell. The manslayer's flight before the avenger to the city of refuge pictures the sinner's flight to Jesus Christ for salvation of the soul. Safety came by reaching the refuge and remaining in it, as one who had killed accidentally was safe if he reached a city of refuge and stayed there until the death of the high priest. Those who remain in Christ are safe from wrath, while those who depart from him face judgment and destruction, just as leaving the city made the slayer again liable to vengeance.
The slain person's nearest kinsman avenging the death by killing the murderer when he met him is a shadow of Christ's work as humanity's near Kinsman. Christ avenges His brethren upon death and, unlike the human avenger, raises them to a more glorious life than death took from them. The cities of refuge were God's appointment among His own people of old and were true cities of safety, unlike fortified cities of this world such as Babylon that call themselves safe yet fall and become dust and ruins. The provision of refuge by which one who sinned unintentionally could escape death illustrates a greater provision by which transgressors may obtain life. That provision is not permission to continue sinning, but encouragement to repent, return to God, and live in obedience to His law.
The avenger's right to slay applies to willful, premeditated murder, not to accidental death, for the cities gave protection to those who caused death accidentally. The lawful execution of a murderer convicted beyond question is the penalty for violating the sixth commandment, and it also restrains future crimes. As the manslayer did not think he could reach the city too soon, no one can be out of danger too soon or be safe and happy too soon. Closing with Christ upon His own terms should therefore be the very next work, all delays are highly dangerous and unreasonable, and all other concerns in this world are trifles compared with reaching safety. The old custom by which a murdered person's family vowed to slay the murderer is applied to a mother's resolve that her son devote his life to fighting intemperance as his father's murderer.