Bible Dictionary
Manslayer
A manslayer was one who killed another person, especially unintentionally. Under Israelite law, an accidental killer could flee to a city of refuge and remain there until the death of the high priest.
Definition
A manslayer is one who kills another person. In biblical law the term may include both willful killing and accidental or otherwise protected killing, but an accidental manslayer was distinguished from a murderer who killed with malicious intent.
Biblical Usage
An accidental manslayer could flee to a city of refuge and remain there until the death of the high priest. Protected cases included death during a sudden quarrel, by an object thrown without intent, or by an axe blade that flew from its handle.
Historical Background
The law also treated negligence, such as building a house without a parapet, as potentially responsible for another’s death. After the high priest’s death, the protected manslayer could return to his land.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
One who was guilty of accidental homicide, and was entitled to flee to a city of refuge (Num. 35:6, 12, 22, 23), his compulsory residence in which terminated with the death of the high priest. (See CITY OF REFUGE.)
Smith's Bible Dictionary
one who kills another unintentionally, and is thus distinguished from a murderer, who kills with malice aforethought. The cases of manslaughter mentioned in Scripture appear to be a sufficient indication of the intention of the lawgiver.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>man'-sla-er (meratstseach, from ratsach (Nu 35:6,12); androphonos (1Ti 1:9)): A term employed with reference to both premeditated and accidental or justifiable killing. In the latter case, an asylum was granted (Nu 35:6,12) until the death of the high priest, after which the slayer was allowed to "return into the land of his possession" (Nu 35:28). The cases in which the manslayer was to be held clearly immune from the punishment imposed on willful killing were:</p><p>(1) death by a blow in a sudden quarrel (Nu 35:22);</p><p>(2) death by anything thrown at random (Nu 35:22,23);</p><p>(3) death by the blade of an axe flying from the handle (De 19:5).</p><p>Among the cases in which one would be held responsible for the death of another, is to be counted the neglectful act of building a house without a parapet (De 22:8).</p><p>Manslaughter, as a modern legal term, is employed to distinguish unpremeditated killing from coldblooded murder, but formerly (2 Esdras 1:26) it was used in a more general sense.</p><p>See MURDER.</p><p>Frank E. Hirsch</p>