The concept of accident in the Bible

[tonychanyt]

Deuteronomy 4:

42 that the manslayer might flee there, anyone who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without being at enmity with him in time past; he may flee to one of these cities and save his life:

Holman Christian Standard Bible:

Someone could flee there who committed manslaughter, killing his neighbor accidentally without previously hating him. He could flee to one of these cities and stay alive:

Oxford dictionary for the word accident:

something that happens unexpectedly and is not planned in advance

The Chinese term for accident is 意外. It literally means outside of intention.

Exodus 21 gave further insight to this concept:

12 “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. 13 But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

Accidents happen outside of the will of men but they are still within the permissive will of God.