Bible Strands
Numbers 35:19
The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The passage records a procedural command regarding capital punishment within the tribal territories. It assigns the execution of a confirmed murderer to the designated kinsman acting on behalf of the victim.
The words — גֹּאֵל (go'el) translates literally as "avenger" or "redeemer," while הָרֹצֵחַ (ha-roṣe'aḥ) means "the killer." These terms anchor the verse's command to a specific familial duty and a confirmed criminal act.
The thread — The duty of the blood avenger recurs in Numbers 35:21 regarding hostile strikes and Deuteronomy 19:6, 19:12 where elders ensure the pursuer receives the condemned murderer. These passages collectively regulate vigilante violence by formalizing execution into a controlled legal process.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate execution upon contact with the murderer, removing delay or discretion from the avenger. It places the responsibility of capital punishment on a specific individual rather than the community, establishing a strict boundary for retribution.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
Cross-references
- Numbers 35:21 or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood finds the murderer, he is to kill him.
- Deuteronomy 19:6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.
- Deuteronomy 19:12 the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.
- Joshua 20:3 so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
- Joshua 20:5 Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice.
- Numbers 35:12 You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
- Numbers 35:24 then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.
- Numbers 35:27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside of his city of refuge and kills him, then the avenger will not be guilty of bloodshed,