QT 4 May 12, In OT times, God demanded responsible ownership of actions

Nu 35:16-25 (NIV)“ ‘If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 17 Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies 21 or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 “ ‘But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally 23 or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, 24 the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25 The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

NOTE: If you have a weapon or you have intention, you are guilty of murder. If the act unintentional, then you are not guilty. In any case, you must make it to a city of refuge for a trial. And if you are found not guilty, you must stay in the city of refuge until the high priest dies. So, there is a cost even when you are not at fault. And that makes sense, since to some degree, carelessness cost someone their life. Nowadays, we would call that manslaughter. But manslaughter does not cost when it is purely accidental and no negligence is shown. In Jewish society, it would not matter -- accidents can be prevented by careful attention. I wonder if people were more careful with their actions when they realized the penalty for even mistakes. And maybe we would be better off if we owned our mistakes rather than blamed them on other things -- I suppose we used to call this, responsibility.