(1) “And Jehovah spake unto Joshua, saying, (2) Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Assign you the cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by Moses, (3) that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly and unawares may flee thither; and they shall be unto you for a refuge from the avenger of blood. (4) And he shall flee unto one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city; and 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 up the manslayer into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unawares, and hated him not aforetime. (6) And he shall dwell in that city until he stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days; then shall the manslayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
(7) And they set apart Kadesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron) in the hill-country of Judah. (8) And beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in 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 appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person unwittingly might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.”
Golden Text.—“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Ps. 46:1.
Special Helps.—“Patriarchs and Prophets,” Ch. 48, pp. 515-520.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What special direction was given to the people through Joshua? To whom had God spoken before concerning this matter? Verses 1, 2; Deut. 4:41-43. (2) What was the purpose of these cities of refuge? Verse 3. Note 1. (3) On arriving at the city of refuge, what should the fugitive do? Then what should the elders do? Verse 4. (4) From whom should they protect him? On what conditions? Verse 5. (5) How long should the manslayer remain in that city? Then where should he go? Verse 6. Notes 2 and 3. (6) What three cities were set apart on the west side of Jordan? Verse 7. (7) What three cities were set apart on the east side? Verse 8. (8) Were these intended for Israelites only? Verse 9. Note 3.
NOTES.
1. Murder.—From the earliest time, murder has been deemed a capital offense. The murderer is considered a dangerous person in any community, and public safety has required that he be put out of the way. This principle was recognized in the government of Israel; but, unlike the heathen authorities, the Lord instructed His people to make a difference between the intentional and the accidental taking of life. The nearest of kin was still recognized as the official avenger of blood, but the cities of refuge were provided as a way of escape for him who had not contemplated murder.
2. “For Judgment.”—This implies that the slayer was to have a trial in the city of refuge, an opportunity to state his case, then it would be decided whether he should remain or be given over to meet his punishment. There were various things taken into consideration: If he hated his neighbor, or laid in wait for him (Deut. 19:11-13); or if he came upon him presumptuously or with guile (Ex. 21:12-15; Num. 35:15-29; or if he did it secretly (Deut. 27:24). No murderer could purchase his freedom with money; thus were the high and low, the rich and poor, treated without favoritism.
3. The Limit.—If a man were innocent, there must needs be some limit to his enforced stay in the city of refuge. The fact that he should remain at all after being declared innocent of criminal intent, would indicate a possible bitterness on the part of unreasoning relatives of the victim that would hardly be restrained. Hence the slayer would be unsafe for a time. He was therefore, and perhaps to teach a lesson of carefulness, required to remain until the death of the high priest of that time. But if he did not remain in the city of refuge, or within the prescribed limits, he would be liable to suffer the full penalty at the hands of the avenger of blood.
4. These Cities a Type.—The cities of refuge were a type of Christ. He is our only refuge from sin. But the type came short of the antitype, in that whosoever takes refuge in Him is safe. There is no limit to the guilt of the sinner beyond which he may not find protection. Isa. 1:18-20; Rev. 22:17. There is no type that can fully portray the mediatorial work of Christ. But the sinner who takes refuge in Christ must remain indefinitely. He may at no time forsake the Strong Tower (Ps. 61:3; Prov. 18:10) without danger of again falling into the hand of the enemy. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Ps. 46:1. As the cities of refuge were distributed so as to make them as easy of access as possible to all the people, so Christ is accessible at any place, at any time, in response to the cry of the penitent sinner. The cities of refuge were not for Israelites only, but for the stranger as well. So Christ offers Himself a refuge for the whole world.
