Numbers 35

The Lord had spoken regarding the tribes that would have an inheritance east of the Jordan. He had also given instructions about the inheritance for those tribes that would settle in Canaan, and had provided men who would help with the distribution of this gift from God. But one tribe was not mentioned, the tribe of Levi.

The Lord was the inheritance of the tribe of Levi, for they would have a share in the various tithes and offerings of the rest of the people of Israel according to His Law. Yet they would need places to live and pasturelands for their cattle.

After settling the broad outlines of the inheritance for all the other tribes, God spoke to Moses about the cities for the Levites. He also provided places of mercy in the land for people to flee for refuge.

The cities and pasturelands for the Levites were to come out of the inheritance of the other tribes. The Lord specified the number of cities and the dimensions of the pasturelands. He also gave the principle to the people that more cities for Levites would come from the larger tribes, and fewer cities would come from the smaller tribes.

The cities of refuge, three to the east of the Jordan and three in Canaan, would also be among the cities given to the Levites. The Lord specified here the procedures for mercy and justice for these cities, making a distinction between involuntary manslaughter and murder.

Even in the case of involuntary killing, the close relative of the deceased might be moved to seek some punishment as a result of an unfortunate death, and he would become an avenger of blood against an Israelite. The congregations of the cities of refuge would have to sort out these facts.

These cities were not to become a safe haven for those who had committed vicious murders according to prior evil intentions. Murderers were to face the death penalty. But those who were guilty of manslaughter would be protected by the Levites who judged in such cases.

The only place of safety for the manslayer was within a city of refuge. If he left that city he might be killed by the avenger of blood. He needed to stay in that city until the passage of some time, until the death of the high priest.

Judgments of this kind were to be based on an open hearing of the facts, and no one was to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. There was no provision for release for a guilty murderer. That person had to be put to death, or the land would become polluted in God's eyes. This was the Lord's system of justice concerning the cities of refuge under the care of the Levites.

The Levites were to be dedicated servants of the Lord, attending to the matters of the tabernacle and the Law. They did not have the same kind of life or inheritance that others in Israel would have. The Lord provided for His servants then, and the King of the church, Jesus Christ, commands us to provide for His church today.

Christ and His church have become a city of refuge, not only for those guilty of manslaughter, but for all who are weary and weighed down with burdens that they cannot bear. Even the wretched murderer may find eternal peace in Christ, though the judges of the realms of this world should rightly bring an accounting against those who take the lives of others.

But there is a permanent place of refuge for the vilest offender who truly believes. In that place we have a High Priest who never dies, but who always lives to make intercession for us. Our King and Priest has made perfect peace for us with God, and we are counted as beloved members of the divine household through Him.