Numbers 35 19

Numbers 35:19 kjv

The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

Numbers 35:19 nkjv

The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

Numbers 35:19 niv

The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death.

Numbers 35:19 esv

The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

Numbers 35:19 nlt

The victim's nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer to death.

Numbers 35 verses

Numbers 35 19 Meaning

h2Numbers 35:19 establishes the role of the kinsman-redeemer of blood in executing a convicted murderer. It stipulates that if an individual is found guilty of intentional murder by the community, the avenger of blood (the nearest male relative of the victim) is permitted, indeed expected, to put the murderer to death when they encounter them. This law underscores the sanctity of human life and the severity with which God's law regarded premeditated killing, demanding a life for a life to prevent bloodguilt from remaining on the land.

Numbers 35 19 Context

h2Numbers chapter 35 primarily establishes the legal framework for the allocation of forty-eight Levitical cities and, crucially, sets aside six of these as cities of refuge for those who accidentally killed another person. This framework meticulously distinguishes between unintentional manslaughter and premeditated murder, a distinction vital for justice in the Israelite community. Verse 19 falls within the section detailing the precise regulations concerning murder and manslaughter. It underscores that only a true murderer, determined guilty by due process, would be subject to capital punishment, and the "avenger of blood" was the designated agent to carry out this execution, particularly if the murderer dared to leave the boundaries of the city of refuge before their proper judgment or after being convicted. Historically and culturally, this law provided a divinely ordained legal system that brought order and justice, contrasting with the unregulated tribal vengeance common in surrounding ancient Near Eastern societies, where blood feuds could escalate uncontrollably. It also ensured that the land, considered holy and belonging to God, would not be defiled by the continued presence of a murderer's unatoned bloodguilt.

Numbers 35 19 Word analysis

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• The avenger of blood (גּאֵל הַדָּם - Go'el Ha-dam):

  • Go'el: This Hebrew term is multifaceted, meaning 'redeemer', 'kinsman-redeemer', or 'avenger'. In this context, it refers to the nearest male relative of the deceased, who has the legal and familial responsibility to avenge the shedding of his kinsman's blood. This role highlights familial loyalty and the community's obligation to uphold justice. The Go'el acted not out of personal malice but as an executor of the law, ensuring accountability within the community.
  • Ha-dam: Literally 'the blood'. In Hebrew thought, blood represents life itself (Lev 17:11). Shedding innocent blood was a grave defilement, requiring life for life.
  • Significance: The role of the go'el ha-dam in Israelite society was legally defined, distinct from unchecked revenge. The go'el was authorized to act only after a legal process confirmed intentional murder, preventing arbitrary retribution. This contrasts with common ANE blood feuds by integrating vengeance within a structured, divinely ordained justice system.

• himself: This emphatic pronoun indicates that the go'el directly performs the execution, highlighting the personal nature of the justice due for taking a kinsman's life and ensuring direct accountability. It stresses the unique, divinely assigned responsibility of the go'el in this particular act of justice.

• shall put the murderer to death (יְמִית אֶת הָרֹצֵחַ - yĕmîṯ et Ha-rōṣēaḥ):

  • Yĕmîṯ: From the root mûṯ, "to die," in the Hiphil causative stem, meaning "to cause to die" or "to execute." It is a strong, declarative command for capital punishment.
  • Ha-rōṣēaḥ: "The murderer." This term specifically refers to someone who commits unlawful, premeditated, intentional homicide, distinct from accidental killing (manslaughter). It is the same word used in the sixth commandment: "You shall not murder."
  • Significance: This phrase explicitly mandates capital punishment for murder under divine law. It emphasizes the absolute value placed on human life by God, to the extent that its intentional taking demands the life of the perpetrator. It highlights divine justice and the seriousness of sin.

• when he meets him: This phrase clarifies the condition under which the go'el performs the execution. It implies the scenario where a murderer, convicted by due legal process, is found outside the sanctuary of the city of refuge (which protected only those guilty of manslaughter). If the murderer left the city of refuge before the death of the High Priest (as per Num 35:28) or if they were proven to be a deliberate murderer and were outside the bounds, the avenger's right to act was upheld. This isn't a free license for extrajudicial killing, but a fulfillment of a judicial verdict within specific boundaries.

• he shall put him to death: This repetition serves as an emphatic reassertion of the legal right and duty. It underscores the certainty and unalterable nature of the verdict against the intentional murderer, affirming that once guilt is established and conditions are met, the punishment is mandatory and unavoidable. It reinforces the severity of the consequence and the unwavering demand for justice for the shedding of innocent blood.

Numbers 35 19 Bonus section

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• Role Limitation: It's crucial to understand that the "avenger of blood" (go'el ha-dam) could only act after the community and elders (or judges) had determined that the killing was indeed intentional murder, not accidental. This legal process, often involving testimony and proof (Num 35:30), protected innocent accidental slayers from immediate revenge and prevented indiscriminate blood feuds.
• Abolition of Ransom: The surrounding verses (Num 35:31-32) emphasize that no ransom (monetary compensation) could be accepted for the life of a murderer. This highlighted the unique severity of intentional murder and affirmed that certain crimes required an absolute forfeiture of life, reiterating the sacredness of human life as non-negotiable.
• Transitional Justice: While the specific role of the go'el ha-dam faded with the destruction of the Temple and the evolving governance structures, the underlying principle that human government is responsible for capital justice for murder (Rom 13:4) remains rooted in the Genesis 9:6 command and reiterated throughout Old Testament law, emphasizing the continuous divine mandate against shedding innocent blood.

Numbers 35 19 Commentary

h2Numbers 35:19 articulates a cornerstone principle of Israelite jurisprudence regarding murder: intentional homicide demanded capital punishment without possibility of substitution or ransom. The "avenger of blood" was not a vigilante but a formally recognized executor of a divinely prescribed penalty, operating within a carefully structured legal system established in cities of refuge. This law reflects God's profound regard for human life, created in His image (Gen 9:6), and highlights the defilement that murder brought upon the land (Num 35:33-34), requiring the life of the murderer for expiation. The purpose was to ensure justice, prevent cycles of unchecked vengeance, and uphold moral order within the community, signifying that the spilling of innocent blood cannot go unpunished in God's eyes. It stands as a testament to God's holy character and His demand for justice in His people.