Joshua

Chapter Introduction

The scriptures repeatedly say the Levites had no inheritance—the Lord was their inheritance. However, they still needed places to dwell. They were given 48 Levitical cities and common lands and six of them were designated as cities of refuge.

Joshua 20:1-6

If you killed someone, the next of kin became the avenger of blood.  The avenger would immediately seek you out to avenge the death of their family member.  If the death was accidental, you could flee to a city of refuge where you could plead your case to the city fathers.  If they were convinced the death was unintentional, and there was no animosity, anger, or hatred involved, then they were granted refuge in the city.  You were free to go when the high priest died, and the avenger couldn’t touch you. 

While we know that it was from the death of our High Priest Jesus that we are saved, how does this high priest offer atonement for this person’s accidental death?   

Notes from Numbers 35:

Numbers 35:9-28

We see in the bible those who sought asylum grasp the horns of the altar (1 Kings 1:50-51).  According to Milgrom, it was the idea that those grasped the altar absorbed its sanctity and were removed from the jurisdiction of the profane world.  Some liken these sanctuary cities to this idea – even to the point of suggesting there were altars in these cities.  However, this refuge was for Israel, the stranger and sojourner.

The guilty were to be punished by death at the hand of the kinsman avenger (goel).  However, if one caused the death of someone who was not their enemy or seeking the harm of that person, then asylum was available to them.  They would be kept in the city of refuge.  The punishment was to fit the crime.  As the death seemed a matter of chance, so does the death of the high priest.  It appears the death of the high priest was a substitute for the life of the manslayer.  Once the priest died, the manslayer was free to return to his land.

No wonder that, according to the Mishnah, the mother of a High Priest would personally supply food and clothing to the residents of the cities of refuge so that they should not pray for the death of her son (Mish. Mak. 2:6).

[Milgrom, J. (1990). Numbers (p. 510). Jewish Publication Society.]

Numbers 35:29-34

The life of a murderer could not be redeemed but by death.  However, the guilt must be established by two or more witnesses.  Blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for it except the blood of the one who shed it.  In these cities of refuge, we can see God’s righteousness, justice, and grace at work.  The refuge of the city feels similar to being behind the blood of the lamb on the doorpost of the first Passover.

Pastor Doug Ford, Numbers 35 notes

Joshua 20:7-9

The cities were Kadesh (consecrated, Sanctified), Shechem (diligence, ridge of land), Kiriath (city of four giants) on the west side of the Jordan, and Bezer (inaccessible), Ramoth (heights), and Golan (captive) on the east side of the Jordan.

The Big Idea

The only place we can find refuge is in Jesus.  He is our city of refuge.  When our High Priest Jesus died, we were freed.  The avenger of death could not bring charges against us ever again.. 

Have you fled to your city of refuge?

©2006 Doug Ford, revised and updated 2008, 2015, 2024