(See BLOOD, AVENGING OF.) Kedesh ("holy," so Jesus our city of refuge, Heb 6:18; 7:26), now Kedes, 20 miles E.S.E. from Tyre. Shechem ("shoulder," upon Jesus' shoulder the government is, Isa 9:6), now Nablous. Hebron ("fellowship," so Christ to us, 1Co 1:9), now El-Khalil. Bezer, perhaps Bozor in the Book of Maccabees ("fortress," so is Jesus, Isa 32:2; 26:1,4). Ramoth Gilead, on the site of Ez-Szalt (Ramoth ("high"), so is Jesus to us, Ac 5:31). Golan, Jaulan ("joy"; Jesus is our joy, Ro 5:11). All the 48 cities of Levi had the right of asylum. But the six of refuge were bound to entertain the involuntary manslayer gratuitously. The cities on each side of the Jordan were nearly opposite one another (De 19:2; Nu 35:6,13,15; Jos 20:2,7,9).

If manslayers had been driven out of the country as among the Greeks, they would have been exposed to the temptation of worshipping strange gods (1Sa 26:19). The Levitical cities were to have a space of 1,000 cubits (583 yards) beyond the city walls for pasture and other purposes (Nu 35:4-5). The 2,000 cubits also specified mean probably the sum of the two single thousands on opposite sides of the city, exclusive of the city itself; as here shown. Clermont-Ganneau has discovered a bilingual inscription, Greek and Hebrew, "limit of Gezer" (now Tel-el-Jezer), on a horizontal slab E. of that royal Canaanite city; also a second similarly inscribed stone 1,696 yards due N.W. of the first. This proves that the sacred boundary was a square, having its four angles at the four cardinal points (Palestine Exploration Quarterly Statement, Oct. 1874).

See REFUGE.

Cities of refuge,

six Levitical cities specially chosen for refuge to the involuntary homicide until released from banishment by the death of the high priest.

Nu 35:6,13,15; Jos 20:2,7,9

There were three on each side of Jordan.

1. KEDESH, in Naphtali.

See Kedesh

1Ch 6:76

2. SHECHEM, in Mount Ephraim.

See Shechem

Jos 21:21; 1Ch 6:67; 2Ch 10:1

3. HEBRON, in Judah.

See Hebron

Jos 21:13; 2Sa 5:5; 1Ch 6:55; 29:27; 2Ch 11:10

4. On the east side of Jordan - BEZER, in the tribe of Reuben, in the plains of Moab.

See Bezer in the wilderness

De 4:43; Jos 20:8; 21:36

1Macc. 5:26.

5. RAMOTH-GILEAD, in the tribe of Gad.

See Ramothgilead

De 4:43; Jos 21:38; 1Ki 22:3

6. GOLAN, in Bashan, in the half-tribe of Manasseh.

See Golan

De 4:43; Jos 21:27; 1Ch 6:71

CITIES OF REFUGE. See REFUGE.