Joshua 20 – The Cities of Refuge
A. God commands the appointment of six cities of refuge.
1. (1-3) A place of refuge from the avenger of blood.
The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
a. Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge: God told Joshua to fulfill the appointment of six cities of refuge, something the LORD commanded through Moses in Exodus 21:12-14, Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 4:41-43, 19:1-13.
b. That the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there: The purpose of the cities of refuge was to protect one who killed another, but accidentally or unintentionally. They were to protect someone in the case of manslaughter as opposed to murder.
i. “As a man might casually kill another against whom he had no ill-will, and with whom he had no quarrel, and might have his life taken away by him who was called the avenger of blood, though he had not forfeited his life to the law; therefore these privileged cities were appointed, where the person might have protection till the cause had been fully heard by the magistrates.” (Clarke)
c. And they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood: Such a person needed protection against the avenger of blood. The Hebrew word for this phrase is goel, and in this context means the representative from the victim’s family charged with the responsibility of making sure justice is carried out against the murderer of the family member.
i. God was concerned that murderers were punished in ancient Israel. In that culture, the final responsibility for justice rested with the designated goel (avenger of blood) in the family.
ii. The principle for capital punishment goes back to Genesis 9:6: Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man. When murder is unpunished, it defiles a land (Numbers 35:31, 35:33-34). The government’s right to use the sword of execution is also stated in the New Testament (Romans 13:3-4). The astounding number of unsolved, unpunished murders in the United States and other nations is a great failing, one that invites God’s judgment.
d. Refuge from the avenger of blood: The avenger of blood tracked down the murderer, and if necessary, delivered him over to the authorities for execution. This provision of the testimony of two or three eyewitnesses could confirm the guilt of the murderer according to Deuteronomy 17:6-7.
i. “Blood vengeance is an ancient custom that can be traced back to the early chapters of Genesis (e.g., Cain expected to be killed in revenge for the murder of his brother Abel [Genesis 4:13–14]).” (Madvig)
ii. “Numbers 35 states clearly that the avenger of blood was only free to kill someone who had killed another if (1) that person ventured forth from a city of refuge (Numbers 35:26–28) or (2) that person was guilty of murder, and not manslaughter (Numbers 35:16–21). The avenger of blood had a legal status in society to carry out society’s (i.e., God’s) judgments and was by no means one who was to exact private vengeance.” (Howard)
e. Refuge from the avenger of blood: Since the avenger of blood might set himself against a person guilty of manslaughter (accidental or unintentional killing) instead of murder, the cities of refuge were established to protect the person innocent of murder.
i. “If an ancient manslayer did not flee to one of the cities of refuge, there was no hope for him; there was no other provision in the law of Israel by which he might be saved. If he did not flee there, the avenger of blood would overtake him.” (Boice)
2. (4) Entrance into the city of refuge.
And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
a. And declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city: According to custom, the elders of the city spent much time at the gates of the city. When someone fleeing from an avenger of blood came to a city of refuge, he stated his case to the elders at the city gates.
i. “It is important to note that this was not an arrangement by which a murderer could avoid justice. The one who murdered another was to be judicially executed. This was a device designed to save someone guilty of manslaughter but innocent of murder.” (Boice)
ii. “A person was to be regarded innocent until proven guilty, and a minimum of two witnesses was required to condemn one accused of murder (Numbers 35:30).” (Madvig)
b. They shall take him into the city as one of them: After explaining the case, the fleeing person could expect to find protection within the walls of the city of refuge, though he would have to stay there, and live in the city to enjoy that protection.
3. (5) Protection against the avenger of blood.
Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand.
a. They shall not deliver the slayer into his hand: The leaders of a city of refuge were obliged to protect the one who had fled to the city. The avenger of blood had no legal standing to deliver the slayer over to execution.
b. Because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand: Israel had a sophisticated legal system, with judgments often based on intent and premeditation.
4. (6) Freedom for the slayer.
And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.
a. He shall dwell in that city: To be protected against the avenger of blood, the slayer had to stay within the walls of the city of refuge until his case was fully heard by the proper authorities, and until the death of the standing high priest.
i. “Since the high priest represented the sacrificial system, his death atoned for the sins of the manslayer…. Only on the occasion of a death—the high priest’s—was the manslayer free to leave.” (Howard)
b. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city: After being declared innocent of murder by the proper authorities, and after the death of the standing high priest, the slayer could go back to his home and be legally protected against the wrath of the avenger of blood.
B. Six cities selected for cities of refuge.
1. (7-8) The appointment of six cities.
So they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountains of Judah. And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.
a. So they appointed: The distribution of the cities of refuge across Israel shows they were well spaced throughout the country. No matter where one was in Israel, they were not far from a city of refuge. Under normal circumstances, a city of refuge was within a day’s journey from almost anywhere in Israel.
i. “Happily, Christ is nearer than any city of refuge. A runner could fall, but a person who looks to Christ can never fail.” (Schaeffer)
b. They assigned: Deuteronomy 19:2-3 tells us that proper roads were to be built and maintained to the cities of refuge. The city wasn’t very helpful to the slayer if he could not get to it quickly.
i. The cities of refuge were also Levitical cities. “Which were to be cities of Levites, who were presumed to be both wise and merciful men, and such as would not favour willful offenders.” (Trapp)
2. (9) The purpose for the cities of refuge is again stated.
These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.
a. For all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them: The cities of refuge were not only for the benefit of the Israelite but also for the stranger who dwelt among them. God’s justice applied to all without partiality.
i. “As these typified the great provision which God was making for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, hence the stranger as well as the Israelite had the same right to the benefits of these cities of refuge. Is HE the God of the Jews only? Is HE not also the God of the Gentiles?” (Clarke)
b. And not die by the hand of the avenger: By providing a place of protection, the cities of refuge serve as an illustration of Jesus Christ and His work.
i. The Bible applies this picture of the city of refuge to the believer finding refuge in God on more than one occasion.
· Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. More than 15 other times, the psalms speak of God as our refuge.
· Hebrews 6:18: That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
ii. There are many points of similarity between the cities of refuge and the believer’s refuge in Jesus Christ.
· Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are within easy reach of the needy person; they are of no use unless someone can get to the place of refuge.
· Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are open to all, not just the Israelite; no one needs to fear that they will be turned away from their place of refuge in their time of need.
· Both Jesus and the cities of refuge become a place where the one in need can live; you don’t come to a city of refuge in time of need just to look around.
· Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are the only alternative for the one in need; without this specific protection, they will be destroyed.
· Both Jesus and the cities of refuge provide protection only within their boundaries; to go outside means death.
· With both Jesus and the cities of refuge, full freedom comes upon the death of the High Priest.
iii. There is a crucial distinction between the cities of refuge and the believer’s refuge in Jesus Christ.
· The cities of refuge only helped the innocent, but the guilty can come to Jesus and find refuge.
iv. “Our city of refuge is the wounded side of Jesus, our High Priest, who died and rose again…. In our city of refuge we shall always be safe, for our High Priest lives forever.” (Redpath)
© 2024 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – ewm@enduringword.com