Deuteronomy 19:12

the elders of his city, etc.] It is not said who are to judge if wilful murder has been committed (for this see Joshua 20:4-9), but the elders of the murderer's town are responsible for his delivery into the hands of the avenger; it is assumed that they are satisfied as to his guilt. The control of the old custom in which the punishment of a murderer was a family duty is in the hands of the public authorities. This is not without analogies among the Semitic nomads (Musil, Ethn. Ber.361 ff.). Eldersalso appear in Deuteronomy 21:2 ff, Deuteronomy 21:6; Deuteronomy 21:19 f., Deuteronomy 22:15-18; Deuteronomy 25:7-9, with judicial or executive functions. On their relations to the judgessee on Deuteronomy 16:18. Doughty (II. 368) mentions a case of murder at Aneyza, where the father was commanded by the Emir and elders to slay the murderess and declined, whereupon she was executed by the public authorities.