Reference: Refuge, Cities Of
American
To provide security for those who should undesignedly kill a man, the Lord commanded Moses to appoint six cities of refuge, or asylums, that any one who should thus shed blood might retire thither, and have time to prepare his defence before the judges, and that the kinsmen of the deceased might not pursue and kill him, Ex 21:13; Nu 35:11-34. Of such cities there were three on each side Jordan. On the west were Kedesh of Naphtali, Shechem, and Hebron; on the east, Golan, Ramoth-Gilead, and Bezer, Jos 20:7-8. These cities served not only for Hebrews, but for all strangers who resided in the country, De 19:1-10. The Lord also commanded that when the Hebrews should multiply and enlarge their land, they should add three other cities of refuge. But this command was never fulfilled.
The custom of blood-revenge appears to have been an institution or principle very early introduced among the nomadic oriental tribes. So firmly was this practice established among the Israelites before their entrance into the promised land, and probably also even before their sojourning in Egypt, that Moses was directed by Jehovah not to attempt to eradicate it entirely, but only to counteract and modify it by the institution of cities of refuge. The custom of avenging the blood of a member of a family or tribe upon some member of the tribe or family of the slayer, still exists in full force among the modern Bedaweens, the representatives in a certain sense of the ancient Israelites in the desert. They prefer this mode of self-vengeance. Niebuhr informs us that "the Arabs rather avenge themselves, as the law allows, upon the family of the murderer; and seek an opportunity of slaying its head, or most considerable person, whom they regard as being properly the person guilty of the crime, as it must have been committed through his negligence in watching over the conduct of those under his inspection. From this time the two families are in continual fears, till some one or other of the murderer's family be slain. No reconciliation can take place between them, and the quarrel is still occasionally renewed. There have been instances of such family feuds lasting forty years. If in the contest a man of the murdered person's family happens to fall, there can be no peace until two others of the murderer's family have been slain." How far superior to this was the Mosaic institution of cities of refuge, where the involuntary homicide might remain in peace till the death of the high-priest, and then go forth in safety, while a really guilty person did not escape punishment.
Among most of the nations of antiquity, temples, and particularly the altars within them, were regarded as proffering an asylum for fugitives from violence. Among the Hebrews we find indications of the custom on the part of the culprit of fleeing to the Lord's altar. But this was not allowed to screen the guilty from deserved punishment, Ex 21:14; 1Ki 2:28-34.
There is an appointed city of refuge for sinners exposed to the second death, and an altar of refuge sprinkled with atoning blood. Happy the soul that flees and is safe in Christ, ere it is overtaken by the avenging law of God.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And if a man lie not in wait, but God delivers him into his hand; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. But if a man comes presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
Then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee there, who kills any person unintentionally. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stands before the congregation in judgment. read more. And of these cities which you shall give, six cities shall you have for refuge. You shall give three cities on this side of Jordan, and three cities shall you give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that kills any person unintentionally may flee there. But if he strikes him with an instrument of iron, so that he dies, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he strikes him with throwing a stone, by which he may die, and he dies, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he strikes him with a hand weapon of wood, by which he may die, and he dies, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. The avenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meets him, he shall slay him. But if he pushes him from hatred, or hurls at him by lying in wait, that he dies; Or in enmity strikes him with his hand, that he dies: he that struck him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meets him. But if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or has cast upon him anything without lying in wait, Or used any stone, by which a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he dies, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments: And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, where he had fled: and he shall abide in it until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the slayer shall at any time come outside the border of the city of his refuge, where he had fled; And the avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the city of his refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And you shall take no ransom for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. So you shall not pollute the land in which you are: for blood defiles the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, except by the blood of him that shed it. Defile not therefore the land which you shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.
When the LORD your God has cut off the nations, whose land the LORD your God gives you, and you dispossess them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses; You shall set apart three cities for you in the midst of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess it. read more. You shall prepare you a way, and divide the territory of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee there. And this is the case of the manslayer, who shall flee there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, whom he hated not in time past; As when a man goes into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle, and strikes his neighbor, that he dies; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: Lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his anger is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated the victim not in time past. Therefore I command you, saying, you shall set apart three cities for you. And if the LORD your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn unto your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give unto your fathers; If you shall keep all these commandments to do them, which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to walk always in his ways; then shall you add three more cities for you, besides these three: That innocent blood be not shed in your land, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, and so blood be upon you.
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side of Jordan east of Jericho, 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.
Easton
were six in number (Nu 35). 1. On the west of Jordan were (1) Kadesh, in Naphtali; (2) Shechem, in Mount Ephraim; (3) Hebron, in Judah. 2. On the east of Jordan were, (1) Golan, in Bashan; (2) Ramoth-Gilead, in Gad; and (3) Bezer, in Reuben. (See under each of these names.)
Hastings
REFUGE, CITIES OF
1. Origin of the right of asylum.
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And if a man lie not in wait, but God delivers him into his hand; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.
And if a man lie not in wait, but God delivers him into his hand; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. But if a man comes presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
But if a man comes presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
Then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee there, who kills any person unintentionally. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stands before the congregation in judgment. read more. And of these cities which you shall give, six cities shall you have for refuge. You shall give three cities on this side of Jordan, and three cities shall you give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that kills any person unintentionally may flee there.
Or used any stone, by which a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he dies, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments: read more. And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, where he had fled: and he shall abide in it until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, where he had fled: and he shall abide in it until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of Jordan toward the sun rising;
Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of Jordan toward the sun rising; That the slayer might flee there, who should kill his neighbor unintentionally, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live:
That the slayer might flee there, who should kill his neighbor unintentionally, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
You shall set apart three cities for you in the midst of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess it.
You shall set apart three cities for you in the midst of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess it. You shall prepare you a way, and divide the territory of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee there.
You shall prepare you a way, and divide the territory of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee there.
You shall prepare you a way, and divide the territory of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee there. And this is the case of the manslayer, who shall flee there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, whom he hated not in time past; read more. As when a man goes into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle, and strikes his neighbor, that he dies; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: Lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his anger is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated the victim not in time past. Therefore I command you, saying, you shall set apart three cities for you.
Therefore I command you, saying, you shall set apart three cities for you. And if the LORD your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn unto your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give unto your fathers; read more. If you shall keep all these commandments to do them, which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to walk always in his ways; then shall you add three more cities for you, besides these three: That innocent blood be not shed in your land, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, and so blood be upon you.
Then the elders of his city shall send and bring him from there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you.
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke unto you by the hand of Moses:
And when he that does flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entrance 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.
And he 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. And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. read more. And on the other side of Jordan east of Jericho, 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.
And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus says the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.
And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus says the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. And the king said unto him, Do as he has said, and strike him down, and bury him; that you may take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and struck him down, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him belonged the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also belonged the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and bronze bars:
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know you that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we are still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
Morish
Six cities were appointed under the law, three on each side of the Jordan, to which any one who had killed a person unintentionally could flee. They were given to the Levites, and the elders of these cities were to judge if the death had been caused accidentally, and if so, the avenger of blood was not allowed to take the manslayer's life. He must remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest who 'was anointed with the holy oil,' and then he could return to his possession. Prior to that if he went outside the city and the avenger found him, he might put him to death. Nu 35:6-32; Jos 20:2-9; 21:13-38; 1Ch 6:57,67.
Typically the manslayer doubtless represents the Jews: they put the Lord Jesus to death, yet they were not at once slain as murderers, but in grace were treated as manslayers, and the assembly became the city of refuge for them, its hope being connected with heaven and not with an earthly inheritance. Peter said they did it ignorantly, Ac 3:17; and the Lord prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The preaching of the gospel was to 'begin at Jerusalem,' as it did on the day of Pentecost. The people of Israel are still out of their possession, and will not be restored to it in blessing so long as Christ retains His present position of actual Priesthood on high.
The Cities of Refuge on the west of Jordan were KADESH, in mount Naphtali, in Galilee; SHECHEM, in mount Ephraim; and KIRJATH-ARBA, which is HEBRON, in the mountain of Judah. And on the east of the Jordan they were BEZER, in the wilderness, in the tribe of Reuben; RAMOTH-IN-GILEAD, in the tribe of Gad; and GOLAN, in Bashan, in the tribe of Manasseh. Jos 20:7-8. It has been calculated that the distance of these from city to city would be about 70 miles, so that no one would in any part be farther than about 35 miles from one of them.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And among the cities which you shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which you shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee there: and to them you shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall you give with their pasture lands. read more. And the cities which you shall give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many you shall give many; but from them that have few you shall give few: every one shall give from his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inherits. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you are come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee there, who kills any person unintentionally. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stands before the congregation in judgment. And of these cities which you shall give, six cities shall you have for refuge. You shall give three cities on this side of Jordan, and three cities shall you give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that kills any person unintentionally may flee there. But if he strikes him with an instrument of iron, so that he dies, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he strikes him with throwing a stone, by which he may die, and he dies, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he strikes him with a hand weapon of wood, by which he may die, and he dies, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. The avenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meets him, he shall slay him. But if he pushes him from hatred, or hurls at him by lying in wait, that he dies; Or in enmity strikes him with his hand, that he dies: he that struck him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meets him. But if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or has cast upon him anything without lying in wait, Or used any stone, by which a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he dies, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments: And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, where he had fled: and he shall abide in it until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the slayer shall at any time come outside the border of the city of his refuge, where he had fled; And the avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the city of his refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And you shall take no ransom for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke unto you by the hand of Moses: That the slayer that kills any person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. read more. And when he that does flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entrance 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. And if the avenger of blood pursues after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, and hated him not beforehand. And he 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. And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side of Jordan east of Jericho, 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.
And on the other side of Jordan east of Jericho, 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 were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourns among them, that whosoever kills any person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with its pasture lands, And Jattir with its pasture lands, and Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, read more. And Holon with its pasture lands, and Debir with its pasture lands, And Ain with its pasture lands, and Juttah with its pasture lands, and Bethshemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities out of those two tribes. And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, Anathoth with its pasture lands, and Almon with its pasture lands; four cities. All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands. And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites who remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. For they gave them Shechem with its pasture lands in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with its pasture lands, And Kibzaim with its pasture lands, and Bethhoron with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands, Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gathrimmon with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its pasture lands, and Gathrimmon with its pasture lands; two cities. All the cities were ten with their pasture lands for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with its pasture lands; two cities. And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, Jarmuth with its pasture lands, Engannim with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, Helkath with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with its pasture lands, and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands. And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands, and Kartah with its pasture lands, Dimnah with its pasture lands, Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its pasture lands, and Jahaz with its pasture lands, Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities. And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with its pasture lands,
And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance you did it, as did also your rulers.