Cities of RefugeThe City of Refuges shall be appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. |
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Cities of Refuge
"The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: 3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. 5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime. 6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled. 7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. 8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation." (Joshua 20:1-9). The LORD spoke to Joshua, telling him to speak to the children of Israel, telling them to appoint cities of refuge. These cities of refuges would be so the slayer that kills any person unaware and unwittingly may flee to them and they shall be a refuge from the avenger of blood. When they do flee unto one of the cities they shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause to the elders of that city. They shall take him unto the city and give him a place, where he may dwell among them. They shall not deliver the slayer up into the hands of any avenger of blood who may pursue after him. This is because the slayer struck his neighbor unwittingly, and did not hate him before hand. The slayer shall dwell in that city, until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from where he fled.The City of Refuges shall be appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. These six cities are on either side of the Jordan and are under the supervision of the Levites. This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel. These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 4:41-45). These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger that sojourned among them, that whosoever killed any person unaware might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation. (Joshua 21:1-9; Numbers 35: 9-28). The LORD also told the children of Israel in the case if the slayer, which flees to the city of refuge, he may live there. Anyone who killed his neighbor ignorantly and did not hate him before hand could take refuge. When a man goes into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand thrusts a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the helve, and lights upon his neighbor, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live. When the next of kin, the avenger of blood, pursue the slayer while his heart is hot, and overtakes him and slays him, the avenger would be killing an unworthy death of the slayer if it was accidental in nature. The LORD commanded that innocent blood shall not be shed in the land, which the LORD gave to the children of Israel as their inheritance, or the blood would be upon them. However, if any man hates his neighbor, and lies in wait for him, then rises up against him and strikes him mortally that he dies, then flees to one of the cities of refuge; Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. He shall be shown no pity. The quilt of innocent blood shall be put away from Israel. That it may go well with them. (Deuteronomy 19:4-13). Moses divided three cities that were west side Jordan toward the sun rising and three that were east of the Jordan River. These cities of refuge were set up so the slayer could flee there if they killed a neighbor unaware and did not hate him in the time past. These cities were within a day's travel for all the surrounding tribes. |
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MLA Style Citation: About the Authors Joanne B. Holstein is a Becker Bible Studies teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She is seeking a second degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology after completing her study of Psychology/Christian and Bible Counseling. She is well-known as a counsleor to Christian faithful who are struggling with tremendous burden in these difficult times. She is a leading authority on the history of development of the Christian churches and the practices and beliefs of world religions and cults. |
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