Numbers 35:15-24
Summary for Num 35:15-24: 35:15-24 a The Old Testament makes a clear distinction between deliberate murder and involuntary manslaughter (35:11 b, 22-23 c; Exod 21:12-14 d; cp. Num 15:22-31 e). Murder required a penalty of execution, but an accidental death did not. The cities of refuge provided protection only for those who killed another person by accident.• The use of a weapon was proof of malicious intent. 35:15 f Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone: The same law applied impartially to everyone; Israel had one standard of justice, not two (one for citizens, another for noncitizens), as in many societies (see also Lev 19:15 g; Deut 1:16-17 h; 1 Tim 5:21 i; Jas 2:2-4 j).
35:19 k The avenger was the victim’s closest relative; he was responsible for putting the murderer to death, carrying out the vengeance that justice required (Gen 9:6 l).
Summary for Num 35:22-23: 35:22-23 m Here are some instances in which a victim died but was not murdered through an intentional act of violence. The cities of refuge were created as places of safety for people who were responsible for such accidental deaths.
Summary for Num 35:24-25: 35:24-25 n If the slayer was cleared of the murder charge in his trial or hearing before the community (cp. Deut 19:11-12 o), he had to remain in the city of refuge to which he fled, and the avenger was not supposed to seek revenge, because the slayer was not guilty of murder.
• until the death of the high priest: The priest’s death probably provided a kind of expiation for the blood that had been shed; even though the slayer was innocent of murder, human bloodshed had polluted the land (Num 35:33 p; cp. Gen 4:10-11 q).
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