Joshua 20

I remember reading this chapter a long time ago in a Sunday sermon about God's law. In this chapter, God basically instructs Joshua to set up a system to deal with accidents / accidental killings, i.e. manslaughter.

What's interesting is that the concept of "avenger of blood", or basically, death penalty, old school style. If a person was murdered, it was the right and the duty of the closest relative to kill the murder. A more descriptive Bible encyclopedia entry is here.

I guess it shows God's wisdom that even in those old days, He wanted to make provisions in the law for the Israelites between murder and manslaughter...