How Does the Old Testament Avenger of Blood Connect to Christ?
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“The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death” (Numbers 35:19).
Numbers 35 lays out God’s law for choosing an individual to act on behalf of a community when someone killed another person. He distinguished between accidental and premeditated killing, instituted a judicial process, and created cities of refuge where one could find shelter until a trial was called for. However, if the killer was caught by the avenger of blood, this individual could take a life for a life.
What were the rules about avenging blood? How does vengeance of any kind fit with the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Who Was an Avenger of Blood?
God defined murder: if a person is holding something in his or her hand and strikes another person, or “in hatred pushes a person or throws an object at him” causing death, this person “must be put to death; he is a murderer” (Numbers 35:16-21). The one to exact punishment was known as “the avenger of blood.” Usually, this was “the nearest male relative of the murdered person. This family executioner seeks justice by killing the individual responsible for the death of his relative.” The killing had to be done by the one who was legally appointed to the role.
As Josh Vincent elaborates, an assembly, appointed to judge these matters, was to “protect the one who kills someone from the avenger of blood” (v.25) until such time as a trial was held, evidence supplied, and a verdict given. Vincent emphasizes that “intent is a necessary element of murder. Six examples of intentional homicide are outlined in Numbers 35:16–21. The avenger of blood was not given license to act in instances of accidental manslaughter.” There were severe consequences for acting outside of the law.
An Example: Abner and Joab
Joab, for example, was executed by Solomon following his father David’s deathbed request because of his role in several murders of vengeance. Joab hoped to find safety in the “tent of the Lord,” even hanging on to the “horns of the alter.” But he was treated as Joab treated Abner: his killer disregarded the promise of safety which the location should have afforded him (Kings 2:28-34).
One of his crimes was the murder of Abner who had killed Joab’s brother in battle (not murder, but self-defense on the battlefield) and then fled to Hebron, a City of Refuge. “Abner’s death near or at the gateway circumvented this protection, underscoring that Joab’s act was more murder than legal reprisal.” Joab gave in to his grief and anger, and “when David learned of Abner’s death, he declared his innocence and lamented” publicly. He provided Abner “a proper burial, and called upon the LORD to judge any wrongdoing [...] proving to the tribes of Israel that David had neither ordered nor approved the murder of Abner.”
If a court had found Abner guilty of murder, Joab would have been not only permitted but appointed to take his life; however, his guilt would have to be based on the evidence of at least two witnesses (v. 30). These laws gave the guilty person time to confess to the Lord and repent, and provided space for reason and grace to prevail. They were supposed to protect the killer from reactionary violence, and protect the grieved parties from sinning out of their grief.
Killing and death were not part of God’s plan, but sin broke relationships between people; the Lord established boundaries to help them (Matthew 19:8). When God’s people did not follow these instructions, but submitted instead to their lust for revenge, anger grew into a cancer which took more lives.
The relationship between David and Joab is soaked in blood, highlighting the need for efficient administration of God’s laws. Quickly avenging Abner’s murder would have prevented Joab’s further acts of murderous violence and the outrage of Joab’s death at the altar, where he had thought himself safe. As one writer says, “this kind of duplicity revealed to Israel that despite the greatness of David and Solomon, the nation needed a king more righteous than they.”
What Was a City of Refuge?
Matthew Henry indicates that “there were six cities of refuge; one or other might be reached in less than a day's journey from any part of the land.” This is another example of God’s rich grace and his insistence that we approach judicial matters calmly and reasonably. “If he was found not-guilty, the killer could stay and find protection from the ‘avenger of blood’ until the high priest died. If he strayed outside the boundary of this city and the avenger found him, the ‘manslayer’s’ life was forfeit (Numbers 35:26-27).” After the death of the high priest, the avenger of blood could no longer take action against the killer (Numbers 35:25).
The killer was shown mercy within the walls of a city of refuge, but was also reminded of the pain and suffering he had caused. His actions, even if they were unintentional, broke something in his relationship with others and with God. Death is not natural – we were not created to die but to live forever, peacefully, with our neighbors and with the Lord.
Such cities are mentioned several times in both the Old and New Testaments. Joshua 21 mentions some of them, such as Hebron and Shechem, “with pasturelands.” One commentator at BibleHub teaches that “this provision underscores the importance of pasturelands for the sustenance of the Levitical priesthood” and are “essential for the sustenance of livestock, which are vital to the economy and daily life of the Israelites.” A city of refuge was no camp, but a thriving community.
BiblesHub continues that “pasturelands also carry spiritual symbolism. Psalm 23:1-2 portrays the Lord as a shepherd who leads His people to green pastures, symbolizing provision, peace, and rest.” Although accountability is important, echoes of the still waters and green pastures of this Psalm assure us that one who was acquitted of premeditated murder was invited to find spiritual rest as well as physical safety. And the guilty party could, by repenting, enjoy a restored relationship with the Lord.
Why Did God Permit Killing for Killing?
Murder demands justice. As many commentators point out, in Exodus 20:13 God did not say “thou shall not kill” but “thou shall not murder.” There is lots of killing in the Bible which God himself instructed his people to carry out, both militarily and judicially. As one writer explains “It’s unfortunately true that protecting a nation, protecting society, and protecting loved ones sometimes require killing, but that is different from murder. The command ‘Do not murder’ does not apply to justified killing in the course of one’s duty.”
God also commanded his people in Deuteronomy to completely cleanse the land of all living creatures. Dan Delzell writes: “This was an example of lawful killing as an act of God's divine judgment against sin. There is no question that the Lord unleashed His wrath against the sins of the Canaanites. When you engage in practices like incest, adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality, it is going to provoke your Creator.” In other cases, He instructed the Israelites to kill pagans who were not only consulting mediums and worshiping other gods, but also sacrificing their children to those gods (Deuteronomy 18).
Also, pagan practices became a snare for Israel. He was trying to protect them from themselves. Delzell adds “In addition to God's love being so much deeper than our love, God's wrath against sin is also much stronger. In the Old Testament, the wrath of God was often unleashed against sin.” Sin is a violent act of rebellion against God. Jesus instructed his listeners: “if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell” (Mark 9:43-47). God hates killing, he hates violence, but he also wants to protect us from ourselves.
Christ, the Gospel, and Blood
The Old Testament points us to Jesus, so where does “avenging blood” point us to our Savior? After all, Romans 12:19 reminds us of what God himself had said: “vengeance is mine.” Paul exhorted his readers “do not avenge yourselves.” We have no need because the Lord will ensure that justice is served. “Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people” (Deuteronomy 32:43). Moreover, we have no right to seek vengeance because we all deserve God’s wrath.
As Matthew Henry explained, the killer “must continue within the bounds of the city till the death of the high priest. Thus we are reminded that the death of the great High Priest is the only means whereby sins are pardoned, and sinners set at liberty.” We are all guilty of spilling Christ’s blood. “While animal sacrifices took on the guilt of God’s people in the OT, these sacrifices could never fully atone for the sins of man,” Henry concludes.
Dan Delzell explains that, when “reading the New Testament, people wonder why God's wrath against sin seemed to come to a stop. The cross reveals the shift in God's approach under the new covenant. The wrath of God against sin and the love of God for man came together at the cross.” Christ experienced the brutality of our sin which is rejection of God’s sovereignty, pointing to the first spilling of blood in the Garden when God clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins (Genesis 3:21). This was the first death.
Since their first sin, and that first death, every person has been hammering another nail into the cross of Christ. Every lash of the whip was payment for another of our sins. Christ was killed by us, for us. But, he also avenged Death – all Death – by killing it on the day of resurrection. Death as an eternal consequence of sin was avenged. Everyone who abides in Christ alone, the City of Refuge – the Person of Refuge – will ultimately find peace and safety.
We wade through the blood of the cross to become “white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Our sin is not a matter of judicial theory rooted in ancient law. Sin is real, and sin leads to death. By our sin we are separated from God, and if we are caught outside of that City of Refuge, Satan can have us. As one scholar asserts, “The concept of the Cities of Refuge, as outlined in the Old Testament, serves as a profound typology of Christ, offering a rich tapestry of theological insights into His redemptive work.”
Jesus Has Covered Us with His Blood
Josh Vincent sums up the connection between the Old and New Testament on this matter: “Left to ourselves we are all spiritual refugees guilty of taking innocent blood, and we’ve fled the wrath of God to Jesus as our ultimate city of refuge. [...] The avenger now avenges us!”
Surprisingly, the word avenge has a dual meaning. According to John Rittenbaugh, ”in the book of Ruth, it is translated as ‘redeem’ seven times. Boaz was Ruth's redeemer [...] who stood for his family in order to protect its rights. Boaz protected the rights of his family [on] behalf of Ruth and Naomi due to Naomi's husband's death. He was the family's ‘avenger.’"
God has avenged the blood we spilled by pouring out his wrath on the Great High Priest himself, Jesus Christ. Christ allowed his blood to be spilled. His vengeance became redemption, and all were redeemed when he burst from the grave, so that we who trust in Christ no longer have blood on our hands. We can have a relationship with the Father once more.
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