Numbers 35:11
then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse specifies that these cities are for those who kill "without intent," highlighting a crucial distinction. This isn't just about accidental death; it emphasizes the absence of malice or prior planning, a key difference that protects those whose actions, however tragic, were not driven by a desire to harm. This provision acknowledges human fallibility and the reality that even careful people can cause unintended harm, requiring a remedy beyond immediate retribution.
God is instituting a system of justice and mercy for the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Following the detailed instructions for dividing the land, including cities for the Levites, God now addresses how to handle accidental killings within this new society. This passage lays out the purpose and design of cities of refuge, a sanctuary for those who killed someone unintentionally, to protect them from the immediate and potentially fatal retribution of the victim's avenger.
Imagine a moment of split-second accident – a falling object, a misplaced step. In ancient Israel, such a moment could have life-altering consequences. How did God's law provide for those who caused death without intending to?
The institution of cities of refuge in Numbers 35 wasn't about letting murderers off the hook. It was a deeply compassionate provision for individuals who took a life purely by accident or without malice.
Distinguishing Intent
Preserving Life While Upholding Justice
The cities of refuge served a dual purpose:
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These weren't just any towns; they were divinely appointed sanctuaries. What made these cities special, and why were they so crucial in God's justice system?
The cities of refuge were unique institutions designed to uphold both divine justice and human compassion. They weren't simply random safe havens; their establishment and function were carefully ordained.
Divine Appointment and Location
A Temporary, Not Permanent, Escape
It’s crucial to understand that these cities offered protection, not impunity.
Understand the original words
miqlat · Hebrew Noun
A designated place, often associated with the holiness or authority of God, where those in danger can find safety, protection, and immunity from immediate harm or retribution. In the context of Israel's law, these provided a legal buffer against impulsive justice.
rotsach · Hebrew Noun
One who has caused the death of another person, specifically used here to distinguish between accidental or unintentional killing and premeditated murder. This legal category triggers the provisions for asylum.
bishgagah · Hebrew Prepositional phrase
Refers to an action done without premeditation, malice, or prior intent to kill. The Hebrew highlights the absence of 'enmity' or 'lying in wait,' distinguishing it from capital murder.
The institution of cities of refuge was a divinely ordained legal and social system designed to balance the ancient practice of blood vengeance with a provision for justice and mercy, ensuring that unintentional killing did not result in the same penalty as deliberate murder.
~1440 BC
Command to Establish Cities of Refuge
While the Israelites were still in the wilderness, God first commanded Moses to set aside cities for accidental killings, anticipating the need for such a system once they entered the Promised Land.
~1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan
After the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, they waged war to conquer the land of Canaan. This period of conflict would have made immediate implementation of refuge cities difficult.
~1400 BC
Distribution of Land
Following the conquest, the land of Canaan was divided among the twelve tribes. Specific cities were later designated for the Levites, and from these, the cities of refuge were to be chosen.
c. 1390 BC— this verse
Designation of Cities of Refuge
God instructed Moses and Joshua to designate six specific cities throughout the land, three on each side of the Jordan River, as cities of refuge for those who committed unintentional manslaughter.
c. 1390 BC
Arrangement of Highways
To ensure accessibility, clear highways were to be maintained leading to each city of refuge. Signposts were reportedly erected to guide those fleeing.
Throughout the Monarchy
Operation of the System
The cities of refuge served their purpose throughout the period of the Judges and the united monarchy, protecting those who killed unintentionally from the vengeance of the victim's family.
This passage shows the ancient concept of blood vengeance (what the commentaries call 'Goelism'), which the cities of refuge were designed to regulate and prevent from escalating into endless feuds.
Exodus 21:13This earlier passage in Exodus already established the principle that God would provide a 'place' for unintentional killers, and Numbers 35 expands on this by specifying the 'cities of refuge.'
Deuteronomy 19:4-5This passage from Deuteronomy further clarifies the distinction between intentional and unintentional killing, highlighting the criteria for fleeing to a city of refuge and underscoring the 'unawares' aspect mentioned in Numbers.
Joshua 20:1-9This passage details the actual appointment and function of the cities of refuge, showing how this divine provision was implemented in the land of Israel.
Hebrews 6:18This New Testament verse speaks of 'two immutable things' in which it is impossible for God to lie, and refers to the hope of believers as an 'anchor of the soul.' This reflects how the cities of refuge, as a divine provision, represented a secure hope and refuge for the unintentional killer, mirroring Christ as our ultimate refuge.
gillNumbers 35:11: "Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares."
Then ye shall appoint your cities to be cities of refuge for you,.... And, according to the Jewish writers (i), these were neither to be made large nor little, but middling; and they appointed them where there were markets and fairs, at which goods were to be sold; and where there was plenty of water, and a multitude of people; and where there…
bensonNumbers 35:11: "Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares."
Numbers 35:11 . Unawares — Or ignorantly, as it is, Deuteronomy 19:4 , and Joshua 20:3 ; that is, besides his intention, having no such design, and no hatred to him, Numbers 35:22 .
The verse specifies that these cities are for those who kill "without intent," highlighting a crucial distinction. This isn't just about accidental death; it emphasizes the absence of malice or prior planning, a key difference that protects those whose actions, however tragic, were not driven by a desire to harm. This provision acknowledges human fallibility and the reality that even careful people can cause unintended harm, requiring a remedy beyond immediate retribution.
God is instituting a system of justice and mercy for the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Following the detailed instructions for dividing the land, including cities for the Levites, God now addresses how to handle accidental killings within this new society. This passage lays out the purpose and design of cities of refuge, a sanctuary for those who killed someone unintentionally, to protect them from the immediate and potentially fatal retribution of the victim's avenger.
God is instituting a system of justice and mercy for the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Following the detailed instructions for dividing the land, including cities for the Levites, God now addresses how to handle accidental killings within this new society. This passage lays out the purpose and design of cities of refuge, a sanctuary for those who killed someone unintentionally, to protect them from the immediate and potentially fatal retribution of the victim's avenger.
"then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there." — The verse specifies that these cities are for those who kill "without intent," highlighting a crucial distinction. This isn't just about accidental death; it emphasizes the absence of malice or prior…
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