Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
Spoken to Israel in view of entering Canaan, the verse introduces God's instruction to take effect after they crossed the Jordan into the land. Six cities chosen from the forty-eight cities allotted to the Levites were to be appointed as cities of refuge, giving safety to anyone who caused a death accidentally or unintentionally, including strangers and sojourners, before the avenger could reach him. The provision restrained private blood vengeance by protecting the accused until the congregation could try him fairly, so that an accidental killing was not punished while wilful, premeditated murder was certainly punished with death. As part of the Levitical system that taught the gospel, the cities were meant to remind Israel of Christ as refuge and shelter for every sin-burdened soul. The cities picture Christ and the avenger pictures God's law demanding the sinner's life, so that the slayer who fled to a city and remained there until the death of the high priest illustrates the sinner who flees to Christ and remains in Him in repentance and faith, eternally safe because Christ died once and now lives forever to intercede.
Crossing Jordan into Canaan
The instruction was to take effect after crossing the Jordan into the land of Canaan, given in view of entering it and in preparation for entering it. It belongs to the closing chapters of Numbers concerning the cities appointed for the Levites and laws concerning murder, with the following chapter adding laws concerning heiresses and their marriage. The setting is the direction for setting apart cities of refuge for manslayers to be established in the land beyond the Jordan.
Six cities of refuge were to be appointed from the forty-eight cities allotted to the Levites. The provision gave safety to anyone who accidentally or unintentionally caused a death, including through incapacity or ignorance, and including strangers and sojourners, before the avenger could reach him. One who had caused a death without intending murder could flee to a city of refuge and claim a fair trial as a way of escape.
It mitigated the deeply rooted custom requiring the next of kin of a murdered person to kill the murderer, by protecting the accused man from private blood vengeance until he could receive a fair trial. The congregation was to determine his guilt or innocence, and an accidental killing was not to be punished. The surrounding law distinguishes accidental killing without murderous intent from wilful, premeditated murder, so a murderer convicted beyond question faces the death penalty and does not escape the legal consequences of guilt.
The command that the slayer may flee to such cities was a civil law given under the theocracy under special conditions and for special purposes. It was not moral in nature and not of general or permanent obligation. Christians are not now living under the theocracy and have no duty to provide such cities, while the moral prohibition against taking human life remains fully binding.
Christ the True Refuge
The instruction belongs to the closing chapters concerning the appointed cities of refuge as the type of refuge found in Christ, together with the laws concerning murder and concerning heiresses. Those cities formed part of the Levitical system that taught the gospel, and they were meant to remind of Christ as refuge and shelter for every sin-burdened soul. The cities picture Christ, and the avenger of blood pictures God's law, which demands the sinner's life.
After coming into Canaan the provision was six appointed cities to which a person who unwittingly or accidentally killed someone could flee, and where he had to remain until the death of the high priest. This illustrates that safety from wrath is found in Christ, while leaving Him brings judgment. Because Christ died once and now lives forever to intercede, the sinner who flees to Him and remains in Him is eternally safe, and the law's demands are satisfied.
The cities illustrate God's great and universal provision for the unintentional transgressor through incapacity or ignorance, that he might escape death even though God's perfect law cannot be broken. By that provision life may be obtained through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, not that he may go on in transgression but that, encouraged by God's goodness, he may remain in obedience to the perfect law of liberty.
Refuge Applied Today
The instruction takes effect after crossing the Jordan into Canaan, introducing the setting apart of cities of refuge there. Those cities were appointed by God for Israel in the land of Canaan as places where people could find safety from danger. They were places of safety, unlike fortified cities that people trusted but that could fall. The refuge provision extends to providing a place of safety for Jewish converts facing persecution, in connection with the following verses. There they could find work and be trained to help others. The cities of refuge are cities made clean and bright by the gentle healing touch of Christ, under God's command to provide them in the land of Canaan. So made, they become true places of refuge and help for poor, struggling women and helpless little children suffering and dying in tenements and sweat-shops.
Spoken to Israel in view of entering Canaan, the verse introduces God's instruction to take effect after they crossed the Jordan into the land. Six cities chosen from the forty-eight cities allotted to the Levites were to be appointed as cities of refuge, giving safety to anyone who caused a death accidentally or unintentionally, including strangers and sojourners, before the avenger could reach him. The provision restrained private blood vengeance by protecting the accused until the congregation could try him fairly, so that an accidental killing was not punished while wilful, premeditated murder was certainly punished with death. As part of the Levitical system that taught the gospel, the cities were meant to remind Israel of Christ as refuge and shelter for every sin-burdened soul. The cities picture Christ and the avenger pictures God's law demanding the sinner's life, so that the slayer who fled to a city and remained there until the death of the high priest illustrates the sinner who flees to Christ and remains in Him in repentance and faith, eternally safe because Christ died once and now lives forever to intercede.
Crossing Jordan into Canaan
The instruction was to take effect after crossing the Jordan into the land of Canaan, given in view of entering it and in preparation for entering it.
It belongs to the closing chapters of Numbers concerning the cities appointed for the Levites and laws concerning murder, with the following chapter adding laws concerning heiresses and their marriage.
The setting is the direction for setting apart cities of refuge for manslayers to be established in the land beyond the Jordan.
Six cities of refuge were to be appointed from the forty-eight cities allotted to the Levites.
The provision gave safety to anyone who accidentally or unintentionally caused a death, including through incapacity or ignorance, and including strangers and sojourners, before the avenger could reach him.
One who had caused a death without intending murder could flee to a city of refuge and claim a fair trial as a way of escape.
It mitigated the deeply rooted custom requiring the next of kin of a murdered person to kill the murderer, by protecting the accused man from private blood vengeance until he could receive a fair trial.
The congregation was to determine his guilt or innocence, and an accidental killing was not to be punished.
The surrounding law distinguishes accidental killing without murderous intent from wilful, premeditated murder, so a murderer convicted beyond question faces the death penalty and does not escape the legal consequences of guilt.
The command that the slayer may flee to such cities was a civil law given under the theocracy under special conditions and for special purposes.
It was not moral in nature and not of general or permanent obligation.
Christians are not now living under the theocracy and have no duty to provide such cities, while the moral prohibition against taking human life remains fully binding.
Christ the True Refuge
The instruction belongs to the closing chapters concerning the appointed cities of refuge as the type of refuge found in Christ, together with the laws concerning murder and concerning heiresses. Those cities formed part of the Levitical system that taught the gospel, and they were meant to remind of Christ as refuge and shelter for every sin-burdened soul. The cities picture Christ, and the avenger of blood pictures God's law, which demands the sinner's life.
After coming into Canaan the provision was six appointed cities to which a person who unwittingly or accidentally killed someone could flee, and where he had to remain until the death of the high priest. This illustrates that safety from wrath is found in Christ, while leaving Him brings judgment. Because Christ died once and now lives forever to intercede, the sinner who flees to Him and remains in Him is eternally safe, and the law's demands are satisfied.
The cities illustrate God's great and universal provision for the unintentional transgressor through incapacity or ignorance, that he might escape death even though God's perfect law cannot be broken. By that provision life may be obtained through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, not that he may go on in transgression but that, encouraged by God's goodness, he may remain in obedience to the perfect law of liberty.
Refuge Applied Today
The instruction takes effect after crossing the Jordan into Canaan, introducing the setting apart of cities of refuge there. Those cities were appointed by God for Israel in the land of Canaan as places where people could find safety from danger. They were places of safety, unlike fortified cities that people trusted but that could fall.
The refuge provision extends to providing a place of safety for Jewish converts facing persecution, in connection with the following verses. There they could find work and be trained to help others. The cities of refuge are cities made clean and bright by the gentle healing touch of Christ, under God's command to provide them in the land of Canaan. So made, they become true places of refuge and help for poor, struggling women and helpless little children suffering and dying in tenements and sweat-shops.