Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

Bible References

From the avenger

Numbers 35:19
The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him.
Deuteronomy 19:6
otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger, and overtake him, because the way is long, and take his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously.
Joshua 20:3
that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood.
2 Samuel 14:7
Now behold, the whole family has risen against your maidservant, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

Until he stand

Numbers 35:24
then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances.
Deuteronomy 19:11
“But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities,
Joshua 20:4
He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them.

General references

Numbers 35:19
The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him.
Deuteronomy 4:42
that a manslayer might flee there, who unintentionally slew his neighbor without having enmity toward him in time past; and by fleeing to one of these cities he might live:
Joshua 20:5
Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand.