Deuteronomy 19:6

God's Word

Otherwise, in a rage the relative who has the authority to avenge the death will pursue him. If the place is too far away, the relative may catch up with him and take his life even though he didn’t deserve the death penalty, because in the past he never hated the person he killed.

Cross References

2 Samuel 14:7

Then the entire family turned against me. They said, ‘Give us the man who killed his brother so that we can kill him because he took his brother’s life. We’re going to destroy the one who ⌞now⌟ would be the heir.’ In this way they wish to extinguish the ⌞one⌟ burning coal that is left for me. They will not let my husband’s name or descendants remain on the face of the earth.”

Numbers 35:12

These cities will be places of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death. So anyone accused of murder will not have to die until he has had a trial in front of the community.

Deuteronomy 19:5

Suppose two people go into the woods to cut wood. As one of them swings the ax to cut down a tree, the head flies off the handle, hits, and kills the other person. The one who accidentally killed the other person may run to one of these cities and save his life.

Deuteronomy 19:7

This is why I’m commanding you to set aside three cities for yourselves.

Deuteronomy 21:22

When a convicted person is put to death,

Joshua 20:5

“ ‘If the relative who can avenge the death pursues him, the leaders must not hand him over to the relative because he didn’t intend to kill the other person. He didn’t even hate the person he killed.