The Cities of Refuge
Numbers 35:1-34
Also Deuteronomy 4:41-43; 19:1-10; Joshua 20
I. THE POSSESSION OF THE CITIES (35:1-8)
A. A Possession for the Levites (v.1-2)
1. To have no inheritance in the land (Num.18:20-24; Deut.10:8-9; Josh.14:1-3)
2. To be scattered in the land (Gen.49:5-7)
B. The Cities and their Suburbs (v.3-5)
NOTE: The Levites are given suburbs around the cities so that they might have a place for their cattle, farm animals and other goods. The size of these suburbs can be confusing. In verse four, they measure a thousand cubits out from the city wall. In verse five, they measure two thousand cubits out from the city. The easiest explanation is that the two measurements should be added together to make a total of 3,000 cubits or almost one mile. The first thousand cubits could have been for buildings, pens, etc., while the last 2,000 cubits could have been used for grazing. We are not definitely told.
NOTE: The 2,000 cubits around the city is used by Jewish tradition to establish the length of a Sabbath day’s journey. It is equal to the 2,000 cubits between the priests and the people when they cross the Jordan River (Josh.3:3-4). The Sabbath day’s journey is based on the teaching of Exodus 16:29 – “See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” Every man is to stay in his place on the Sabbath day. The Jews determined 2,000 cubits (almost 2/3rd’s of a mile) to be the allowed distance. This is the approximate distance from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12).
C. The Number of the Cities (v.6-8)
1. Six cities of refuge (v.6)
2. Forty-two additional cities (v.6); for a total of 48 cities (v.7)
3. Scattered throughout the tribes of Israel (v.8)
II. THE PLACEMENT OF THE CITIES (35:9-14)
A. The Cities to be Appointed (v.9-12)
B. The Number and Position of the Cities (v.13-14)
1. A total of six cities (v.13)
2. Three cities on either side of the Jordan (v.14)
3. They were placed strategically in the north, center and south of Israel in both the east and the west.
III. THE PURPOSE OF THE CITIES (35:15-23)
A. To Protect the Accidental Slayer (v.15)
B. Not a Protection to the Murderer (v.16-21)
C. But a Protection for the Manslayer (v.22-23)
IV. THE PROTECTION OFFERED IN THE CITIES (35:24-34)
A. For the Manslayer (v.24-29)
B. Not for the Murderer (v.30-34)
NOTE: When a murderer was allowed to go free, the unrevenged blood that he shed defiled the land. Even in the case of unsolved murders, a sacrifice was to be made for the land (Deuteronomy 21:1-9). This defilement of the land eventually led to its destruction by the judgment of God (see Leviticus 18:25; Deuteronomy 19:10; 2 Kings 24:4; Psalm 106:38; Ezekiel 22:3-4).
NOTE: Abner died as a fool because he was in the gate of Hebron, one of the cities of refuge when Joab killed him for the killing of Joab’s brother Asahel. See 2 Samuel 3:22-37.
V. THE CITIES OF REFUGE AS A TYPE OF JESUS CHRIST
A. The Cities of Refuge were Divinely Appointed (v.1-2; Matthew 21:33-44; Acts 2:22-36; 3:22-23)
B. The Cities of Refuge were for the Guilty (v.11-12; Romans 3:9-23; Matthew 9:10-13; Luke 19:1-10)
C. The Way to the Cities of Refuge was Clearly Revealed (Deuteronomy 19:3; Joshua 20:7-9; John 1:29; 10:9; 14:6; Acts 4:12)
D. The Cities of Refuge were Accessible to All (v.15; 2 Peter 3:9)
E. The Cities of Refuge were to be Entered Without Delay (v.6, 10-12; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
F. The Cities of Refuge were the Only Hope for the Guilty (v.12, 24-28; John 3:17-19, 36; 1 Thessalonians 1:10)
VI. THE SLAYER AS A TYPE OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL
A. They Killed the Christ Not Knowing What They Did (v.11, 15; Luke 23:34)
B. They were Protected from Harm But Did Not Have Full Liberty (v.11-12; Abraham’s bosom – Luke 16:22-26)
C. A Distinction was Made Between the Slayer Unawares and the Guilty Murderer (v.15-24; Romans 9:6-8)
D. They Awaited the Death of the High Priest for Complete Liberty (v.25; Jesus Christ – Hebrews 9:11-15)
By David F. Reagan
Copyright © 2002
Antioch Baptist Church Knoxville, Tennessee