The avenger of blood was the nearest male relative of a murdered person. Under Israelite law he could pursue a willful murderer, while cities of refuge protected someone who had caused death unintentionally until a lawful judgment was made.
Definition
The avenger of blood was the nearest male relative of a person who had been murdered. Called the goel, he had the right and duty to kill a willful murderer if he found him outside a city of refuge. The arrangement did not apply to unpremeditated killing, for which the manslayer could flee for protection.
Biblical Usage
Israel’s law provided six cities of refuge so that an unintentional manslayer could escape the avenger while the authorities investigated the case. A willful murderer was delivered to the goel, but a person guilty only of manslaughter remained in the refuge city until the high priest’s death.
Historical Background
The cities of refuge were distributed in different parts of the country so that a fugitive could reach the nearest one. The Hebrew term goel comes from a verb meaning to be near of kin or to redeem.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Heb. goel, from verb gaal, “to be near of kin,” “to redeem”), the nearest relative of a murdered person. It was his right and duty to slay the murderer (2 Sam. 14:7, 11) if he found him outside of a city of refuge. In order that this law might be guarded against abuse, Moses appointed six cities of refuge (Ex. 21:13; Num. 35:13; Deut. 19:1, 9). These were in different parts of the country, and every facility was afforded the manslayer that he might flee to the city that lay nearest him for safety. Into the city of refuge the avenger durst not follow him. This arrangement applied only to cases where the death was not premeditated. The case had to be investigated by the authorities of the city, and the wilful murderer was on no account to be spared. He was regarded as an impure and polluted person, and was delivered up to the goel (Deut. 19:11-13). If the offence was merely manslaughter, then the fugitive must remain within the city till the death of the high priest (Num. 35:25).
