And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
Parallel translations
- WEB but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.
- BSB If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
- NKJV However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
- NASB Yet if he did not lie in wait for him, but God caused him to fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee.
- NLT But if it was simply an accident permitted by God, I will appoint a place of refuge where the slayer can run for safety.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
For an unintentional killing that God allowed to happen, He would appoint a place of refuge. The law distinguished accident from murder and provided mercy.
Overview
God carefully separates accidental death from intentional murder, providing a place of asylum for the former (later the cities of refuge, Num. 35). This reflects justice tempered with mercy, weighing the heart's intent. These cities of refuge foreshadow Christ, the true refuge to whom sinners flee for safety (Heb. 6:18).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Josh 20:2–9Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
- 1 Sam 24:18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
- 1 Sam 24:4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
- Deut 19:1–13When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
- 1 Sam 24:10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.
- Deut 4:41–43Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising;
- Num 35:10–34Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
- 2 Sam 16:10And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
- Mic 7:2The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
- Isa 10:7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 21:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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