The Value Of Human Life

God’s standard is so completely different than man’s.  In Genesis 9:5-6 we looked at his standard for murder, “And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.  Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”   As we saw, murder is an indirect attack on God since man was created in his image.  During the forty years in the wilderness, God repeatedly emphasized that murderers were to be executed.  God directed Moses to refresh the people’s memory as to how killing a person was to be dealt with, shortly before his death, in Numbers 35. 

It is relatively easy to kill a person, and can happen accidentally.  God made special provision for such cases, in Numbers 35:9-15.  “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.  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.  And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.  Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.  These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.”

Israel had no police force.  If a person accidentally killed someone, there were six cities set aside, three on each side of Jordan, that a person could flee to for protection.  He would be tried and if it turned out he was innocent, he would be allowed to stay.  If found guilty, he was to be executed.  Numbers 35:16-21 gives the guidelines for determining if it was murder.  “And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.  And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.  Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.  The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.  But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.”

If a person used what would normally be considered a weapon, whether club, knife, spear, or some kind of projectile, it indicated he was willing to kill the person, and thus was to be considered murder.  Similarly, if there was a history of hatred between them or a deliberate effort to catch him by surprise.  The designated person was to execute him, whether he went to the city of refuge for trial or not. 

If, on the other hand, there is no history of them being enemies and no evidence of intent, then the people were to allow him to live safely in the city of refuge, according to Numbers 35:22-25.  “But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.”

Though it was accidental manslaughter, the sentence was essentially a life sentence, although it would end with the death of the high priest, it was up to the person to stay within the boundaries of the city of refuge if he wanted protection.  Numbers 35:26-29.  “But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.”  If he left the city of refuge, before the death of the high priest, he could be killed without reprisal. 

These were mandatory sentences, according to Numbers 35:29-33.  “So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.  Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.  Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.  And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.”  No plea deals were allowed when someone was killed.  There was no way of restoring the victim’s life and making things right for him.  What a difference from the case where a man who committed murder is suing to be released after six years on the grounds that it is cruel and unusual punishment since the victim is dead and cannot be hurt any more.   

In our world, human life in general is not held as particularly valuable.  Abortion, murder, euthanasia, political killings, and genocide are considered acceptable in different cases.  To God, human life is sacrosanct, and indiscriminate killing makes a land unfit for use, according to Numbers 35:33-34.  “So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.  Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.” 

God warned that allowing murder to go unpunished would bring God’s judgment on the people in  Deuteronomy 19:10-13.  “That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.  But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.  Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.”

Leviticus 18:24-25 warns of the consequences of ignoring murder and other sins.  “Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:  And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.”  History is replete with stories of nations which have lost their land because they ignored God’s standards.  Throughout history, God has used a nation to destroy another nation that refused to follow his principles of right and wrong.