A person who chased and eventually executed the murderer of a close relative (Numbers 35). This “redeemer“ was expected to act in cases of intentional murder but not accidental manslaughter. Someone guilty of manslaughter could seek asylum in one of six designated cities (Numbers 35:11) to make sure that proper legal processes could take place. The role of the avenger of blood is mentioned in stories about:
The Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21)
During the monarchy, the king could stop the avenger (2 Samuel 14:8–11).
This custom was based on God's command that a life should be taken for a life in cases of intentional homicide (Genesis 9:6). Unfortunately, the goal of the law—to highlight the importance of human life—has sometimes been misunderstood, leading to blood feuds and the destruction of entire families in some societies.