http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 1 CITIES OF REFUGE Joshua 20:1-9
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 2 Text: Cities of Refuge Joshua 20:1-9, 1. Then the LORD said to Joshua: 2. Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3. so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. 4. When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them. 5. If the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the one accused, because he killed his neighbour unintentionally and without malice aforethought. 6. He is to stay in that city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled. 7. So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 8. On the east side of the Jordan of Jericho they designated Bezer in the desert on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 3 9. Any of the Israelites or any alien living among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly. (NIV) Introduction: I. The Cities of Refuge have been mentioned in earlier scriptures such as: A. Numbers 35:1-34, On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses, Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasture-lands around the towns. Then they will have towns to live in and pasture-lands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the centre. They will have this area as pasture-land for the towns. Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasture-lands. The towns you give the Levites from the land the
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 4 Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few. Then the LORD said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly. These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there. 'If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. If anyone with malice aforethought pushes another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 5 to death when he meets him. But if without hostility someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at him unintentionally or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with holy oil. 'But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he has fled and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. The accused must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may he return to his own property. These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live. 'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no-one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death. 'Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow him to go back and live on his own land before the death of the high priest. 'Do not pollute
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 6 the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.' (NIV) B. Deuteronomy 4:41-43, Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if he had unintentionally killed his neighbour without malice aforethought. He could flee into one of these cities and save his life. The cities were these: Bezer in the desert plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites. (NIV) C. Deuteronomy 19:1-21, When the LORD your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, then set aside for yourselves three cities centrally located in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess. Build roads to them and divide into three parts the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that anyone who kills a man may flee there. This is the rule concerning the man who kills another and flees there to save his life one who kills his neighbour unintentionally, without malice aforethought. For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbour to cut wood, and as he swings
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 7 his axe to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbour and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbour without malice aforethought. This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities. If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your forefathers, and gives you the whole land he promised them, because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today to love the LORD your God and to walk always in his ways then you are to set aside three more cities. Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. But if a man hates his neighbour and lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, the elders of his town shall send for him, bring him back from the city, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. Show him no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you. Do not move your neighbour's boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess. Witnesses One witness is not enough to convict a man
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 8 accused of any crime or offence he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime, the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. (NIV) II. Joshua now did as God had commanded, added the needed cities west of the Jordan River to make them easily reachable by all Israel as God intended. (Coffman) A. Three of these cities were appointed by Moses east of the Jordan. (Coffman) B. Three cities were appointed by Joshua west of the Jordan River. (Coffman) III. God has always been just in all his dealings. A. The Cities of Refuge are simply an example of his justice and mercy to these falsely accused.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 9 IV. Ziese wrote that the Torah specified that special space in the Promised Land must be granted to two groups: A. Fugitives seeking justice and B. Members of the tribe of Levi. C. These provisions addressed the viability of Israel s religious and justice systems, absolute basic essential requirements. Commentary: Joshua 20:1, Then the LORD said to Joshua: (NIV) 1. Then the LORD said to Joshua: A. The LORD commanded and Joshua obeyed! Joshua 20:2, Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, (NIV) I. Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, II. as I instructed you through Moses,
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 10 A. Joshua was in the wilderness when the Law of Moses was given at Mount Sinai, was a close associate of Moses and well knew the Mosaic teachings in detail. Joshua 20:3, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. (NIV) I. so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally, unawares and unwittingly, in error A. The Cities of Refuge were not designed to produce criminals, but to provide justice and protection for the innocent, those who accidentally or unintentionally took the life of another. B. Perhaps a comparable situation would be an avoidable automobile accident resulting in death. C. Coffman mentions the fact that the Cities of Refuge would greatly reduce family feuds that could persist for generations. II. May flee there and find protection III. from the avenger of blood. A. In ancient Israel, the nearest of kin had the right to avenge the killing of a relative.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 11 1. Deuteronomy 19:10, Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. (NIV) 2. Numbers 35:33, 'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. (NIV) B. The Pulpit Commentary states that avenger could be translated redeemer, one who buys back the life of the deceased. 1. Genesis 9:6, Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. (NIV) 2. In civilized societies, this administration of justice is left to the government. 3. In ancient Israel, this administration of justice was often left to nearest of kin. Joshua 20:4, When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them. (NIV)
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 12 I. When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. A. Christians have fled for refuge to the LORD for deliverance from our sins. 1. This is a New Testament allusion to the Old Testament Cites of Refuge. 2. Hebrews 6:18-19, God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, (NIV) NOTE: All six Cities of Refuge were also among the cities assigned to the Levites who would, therefore, be involved in the administration of justice. (See Ziese). B. The person fleeing for safety was to state his case at the gate of the city, the place where legal business was transacted. 1. Ruth 4:1, Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. When the kinsman-redeemer he had mentioned came along, Boaz said, Come over here, my friend, and sit down. So he went over and sat down. (NIV)
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 13 2. 2 Samuel 15:2, He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, What town are you from? He would answer, Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel. (NIV) II. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them. NOTE: The Cities of Refuge are not to be confused with the old pagan laws of sanctuary at altars, Coffman wrote. Exodus 21:12-14, Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. However, if he does not do it intentionally, but God lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate. But if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death. (NIV); I Kings 2:28-31, When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar. King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Go, strike him down! So Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, The king says, 'Come out!' But he answered, No, I will die here. Benaiah reported to the king, This is how Joab answered me. Then the king commanded Benaiah, Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my father's house of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed. (NIV)
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 14 Joshua 20:5, If the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the one accused, because he killed his neighbour unintentionally and without malice aforethought. (NIV) I. If the avenger of blood pursues him II. they must not surrender the one accused, A. The City of Refuge became the protector of the accused until his guilt or innocence was established in the court of law. III. because he killed his neighbor unintentionally and IV. without malice aforethought. A. The Cities of Refuge were designed to protect the innocent, not the guilty. Joshua 20:6, He is to stay in that city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled. (NIV) I. He is to stay in that city until II. he has stood trial before the assembly (congregation) and A. the trial would be conducted before the assembly in which the defendant and the avenger of blood could present evidence.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 15 B. If found innocent of criminal conduct, the defendant could live in the City of Refuge until the death of the High Priest. C. If found guilty of criminal conduct, the defendant was evidently turned over to the avenger of blood. D. For the defendant found innocent to leave the City of Refuge before the death of the High Priest would make him/her fair game for the avenger of blood. 1. The accused, having been found innocent, may not be able to safely leave the City of Refuge because the avenger of blood may still be intent on killing the accused. 2. The innocent accused was to remain in the City of Refuge until it was safe for him/her to leave. a. By the time the high priest has died, considerable time would have likely passed making it safe for the accused to leave the city s confines. III. until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. A. The Cities of Refuge provided safety while the defendant awaited trial and so long as he/she remained within the city walls. 1. Ziese likened this to a form of house arrest.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 16 IV. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled. Joshua 20:7-8, So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. On the east side of the Jordan of Jericho they designated Bezer in the desert on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh. (NIV) I. So they set apart B. Notice that the Cities of Refuge west of the Jordan River (cisjordan) are listed north to south while these east of the Jordan River (transjordan) are listed south to north. (Ziese). II. Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, A. Kedesh (sanctified, holy) was a Levitical city which was also designated a City of Refuge. 1. Judges 4:6, She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. (NIV) III. Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 17 A. Shechem (shoulder) was a City of Refuge, but it was also instrumental in many significant Israelite historical events. 1. Genesis 12:1-7, The LORD had said to Abram, Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, To your offspring I will give this land. So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (NIV) 2. Genesis 33:18-20, After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 18 Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel. (NIV) 3. John 4:12, Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds? (NIV) 4. Joshua 8:30-35, Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the LORD burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua copied on stones the law of Moses, which he had written. All Israel, aliens and citizens alike, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD, facing those who carried it the priests, who were Levites. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 19 Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel. Afterwards, Joshua read all the words of the law the blessings and the curses just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the aliens who lived among them. (NIV) 5. Joshua 24:15, But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. (NIV) 6. I Kings 12:1, Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all the Israelites had gone there to make him king. (NIV) 7. I Kings 12:25, Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel. (NIV) IV. Kiriath Arba (that is Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 20 A. Hebron (community, alliances) was located three thousand forty (3,040) feet above sea level and, as such, was the city at the highest location in Palestine. 1. Hebron was located nineteen (19) miles southwest of Jerusalem. NOTE: Coffman observed that all the Cities of Refuge were at some elevation making them clearly visible from a distance. IV. On the east side of the Jordan of Jericho, they designated A. Moses designated the three (3) Cities of Refuge east of the Jordan River. 1. Deuteronomy 4:40-43, Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time. Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if he had unintentionally killed his neighbour without malice aforethought. He could flee into one of these cities and save his life. The cities were these: Bezer in the desert plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites. (NIV) B. Bezer, it is stated here, was on the east side of the Jordan River and east of Jericho.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 21 V. Bezer in the desert on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, A. Bezer (fortress) was on the east side of Jordan, in the plains opposite to Jericho. (Clarke) VI. Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and A. Ramoth (heights) was about twenty-five (25) miles east of the Jordan River. VII. Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh. A. Golan (sanctified, set apart) was assigned to the Gershonite Levite and was designated by Moses as one of the Cities of Refuge east of the Jordan River. 1. Golan was located seventeen (17) miles east of the Sea of Galilee. 2. I Chronicles 6:71, The Gershonites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasture-lands; (NIV) Joshua 20:9, These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation. (NIV) I. Any of the Israelites or any alien living among them
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 22 A. These provisions were available to all who lived in the Promised Land, both Israelites and non-israelites. 1. This equal justice under law provision was certainly, for that long ago time, advanced jurisprudence! 2. The LORD was and is God of all, both Jews and Gentiles. II. who killed someone accidentally III. could flee to these designated cities and A. Roads to these cities were to be kept open and in good repair to facilitate the speedy arrival of the person seeking refuge. IV. not be killed by the avenger of blood V. prior to standing trial before the assembly, congregation. A. The judges sat; defendants stood. Conclusion: I. The six cities of refuge were: A. Kedesh B. Shechem C. Kiriath Arba (Hebron)
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 23 D. Bezer E. Ramoth F. Golan II. These cities were located east and west of the Jordan River, north, central and south, so as to be easily accessible from any place throughout Israel. III. The Cities of Refuge may be compared with Refuge in Christ. (See Coffman) A. Sinners can find refuge in Christ. B. Safety is in Christ, not out of Christ, not anywhere else. C. Safety continues only so long as we abide in Christ. 1. John 15:6, If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (NIV)
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 24 Questions Joshua 20:1-9 Name and give the location of each of the six (6) Cities of Refuge: 1. 2. 3. 4.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 25 5. 6. 7. What was the purpose of the Cities of Refuge? 8. What was the procedure followed by the Cities of Refuge to insure that justice was done? 9. Who was the avenger of blood? What was his role?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 26 10. What happened to the accused if he were found guilty? 11. What happened to the accused if he were found innocent? 12. What did the death of the High Priest have to do with the innocent accused leaving the City of Refuge? 13. In regard to treatment in the Cities of Refuge, how did the rights of Israelites and non-israelites differ?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 27 14. Why could the accused found to be innocent not immediately return to his home town? 15. In what ways are we to imitate Joshua s example?