Cities of Refuge (Numbers 35)

2023-03-15

And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. (Numbers 35:6)

Six cities of refuge were appointed for manslayers, namely, people who unintentionally killed another. The murderer could not use these; they were appointed to capital punishment. “Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death” (Numbers 35:31).

The manslayer would flee to the nearest city 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 killeth any person unawares may flee thither” (Numbers 35:15).

The congregation would judge between the revenger, likely the next of kin, and the manslayer. Then the congregation would restore him to the city of refuge. “Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil” (Numbers 35:24-25).

The manslayer had to stay there until the death of the high priest. “...after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession” (Numbers 35:28). Otherwise, the revenger could legally slay him. “And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood” (Numbers 35:27).

We have sinned intentionally, but we have fled to the Lord Jesus Christ, our refuge. He protects us from the penalty of our sin: the wrath of God and eternal death. That High Priest has died, but He lives again, so we never have worry of the condemnation of the revenger. Anyone not found in Christ will receive the condemnation. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).