CITIES OF REFUGE
Jehovah’s law on the sanctity of blood was very explicit. The shedding of human blood polluted the land in which Jehovah was residing and it could be atoned for only by the blood of the one shedding it. (Gen. 9:5, 6; Num. 35:33, 34) So, in the case of a murderer, the blood of his victim was avenged and the law of ‘life for life’ was satisfied when the murderer was put to death “without fail” by the avenger of blood. (Ex. 21:23; Num. 35:21) But what about the unintentional manslayer, the one, for example, who killed his brother when the axhead accidentally flew off while chopping wood? (Deut. 19:4, 5) For such unfortunate ones Jehovah lovingly provided cities of refuge, six in number, where the accidental shedder of blood could find protection and asylum from the avenger of blood.—Num. 35:6-32; Josh. 20:2-9.
LOCATIONS
Before his death Moses appointed three of these cities E of the Jordan. The first, Bezer, in the S on the tableland of the territory that belonged to the tribe of Reuben, was E of the northern end of the Dead Sea; the second, Ramoth, in Gilead, belonged to the tribe of Gad and was about in the middle of the eastern section of Palestine; the third, Golan, in Bashan, was to the N in the territory of Manasseh. (Deut. 4:43; Josh. 21:27, 36, 38) After the Israelites crossed over to the W side of the Jordan, Joshua designated three more cities of refuge: Hebron, to the S in Judah’s territory; Shechem, in the central mountainous regions of Ephraim; and, to the N, Kedesh, in the territory of Naphtali, which was later known as the region of Galilee. (Josh. 21:13, 21, 32) All these cities were Levite cities and one, Hebron, was a priestly city. Additionally, because of being set aside as cities of refuge, they received a sacred status.—Josh. 20:7.
LEGAL PROCEDURE
Upon reaching a city of refuge the fugitive was to state his case to the older men at the city gate, to be received hospitably. To prevent willful murderers from taking cover under this provision, the fleeing one, after entering the city, had to stand trial at the city gates in the city having jurisdiction where the killing occurred, in order to prove his innocence. If found innocent, he was returned to the city of refuge. However, his safety could be guaranteed only if he remained in the city the rest of his life or until the death of the high priest. No ransom could be accepted to alter these terms. (Num. 35:22-29, 32; Josh. 20:4-6) Even Jehovah’s sacred altar provided no protection for murderers, as was illustrated in the case of Joab.—Ex. 21:14; 1 Ki. 1:50; 2:28-34; see AVENGER OF BLOOD.
How different, then, Jehovah’s arrangement for the protection of unintentional manslayers was from the so-called cities of refuge and other sanctuaries set up by ancient pagan nations and by Christendom’s churches down through the ages! Whereas the latter sanctuaries offered shelter for criminals of every sort along with the innocent, and thus encouraged wanton killing, Israel’s cities of refuge gave protection to only the innocent and then only under restrictions, and thus promoted respect for the sanctity of life.
[Map on page 352]
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Cities of Refuge
Kedesh
Golan
Ramoth
Shechem
Bezer
Hebron
Jordan River