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Numbers 35:11-13
New Catholic Bible
Numbers 35:11-13
New Catholic Bible
11 choose cities that will be your cities of refuge to which a person who has accidentally killed another person can flee. 12 These will be cities of refuge from the kinsman avenger[a] so that the killer will not die until he has received judgment before the assembly. 13 These six cities that you give will be your cities of refuge.
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- Numbers 35:12 The avenger (Hebrew, goel) is the closest relative of the victim; it is up to him to see justice done (see v. 19; Gen 4:15; 9:6; Deut 19:12; 2 Sam 14:11). He is also the authorized protector of his relatives; in particular, he must prevent the alienation of their properties (see Lev 25:23-25; Ru 4:3ff). By extension, God will be called “the goel of Israel” (Ps 18:14; Isa 41:14; Jer 50:34). A goel is basically a protector.
