Then 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.
Then the leaders of his city must send for him and bring him back, and hand him over to the family member seeking justice for the murder, so that he may be put to death.
This verse explains that if someone commits intentional murder, the city leaders must return them to face justice from the victim's family.
📚 Historical Context
This passage is part of Moses' instructions about cities of refuge - special towns where people who accidentally killed someone could flee for safety. However, if investigation proved the killing was intentional murder rather than an accident, the person would lose this protection. The 'avenger of blood' was typically the nearest male relative of the victim, who had the legal responsibility to ensure justice was carried out according to ancient Near Eastern law.
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