The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
Parallel translations
- WEB The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death. When he meets him, he shall put him to death.
- BSB The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.
- NKJV The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.
- NASB The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he himself shall put him to death when he meets him.
- 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.
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
The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death upon meeting him. The near kinsman carries out the just sentence against a convicted murderer.
Overview
The avenger of blood, a kinsman responsible for justice, executed the lawful penalty after guilt was established, not in unchecked vengeance. This role functioned within the system of trial and refuge to ensure justice without lawlessness. The seriousness of bloodguilt here points to the ultimate justice of God, satisfied for sinners through the blood of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Josh 20:5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
- Josh 20:3That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
- Num 35:21Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
- Deut 19:12Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
- Deut 19:6Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
- Num 35:27And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:
- Num 35:12And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
- Num 35:24Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 35:19 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.