Numbers 35:14
Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
Six towns were set apart, three on the far side of the Jordan and three within Canaan itself, to stand as appointed places of safety for people in danger. Their purpose was defined by the surrounding law in Numbers 35:11-15, which provided shelter where the threatened could flee and live secure from harm. In the same manner schools are to serve as a refuge for youth who are tempted and exposed to moral danger. Such schools shelter the young and meet their wrongs not with harshness but with patient and wise care.