Cities of Refuge
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Cities of Refuge

CITIES OF REFUGE

See REFUGE, CITIES OF.

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Cities of Refuge

six Levitical cities specially chosen for refuge to the involuntary homicide until released from banishment by the death of the high priest. (Numbers 35:6,13,15; Joshua 20:2,7,9) There were three on each side of Jordan.

  1. KEDESH, in Naphtali. (1 Chronicles 6:76)
  2. SHECHEM, in Mount Ephraim. (Joshua 21:21; 1 Chronicles 6:67; 2 Chronicles 10:1)
  3. HEBRON, in Judah. (Joshua 21:13; 2 Samuel 5:5; 1 Chronicles 6:55; 29:27; 2 Chronicles 11:10)
  4. On the east side of Jordan - BEZER IN THE WILDERNESS, in the tribe of Reuben, in the plains of Moab. (4:43; Joshua 20:8; 21:36) 1Macc. 5:26.
  5. RAMOTH-GILEAD, in the tribe of Gad. (4:43; Joshua 21:38; 1 Kings 22:3)
  6. GOLAN, in Bashan, in the half-tribe of Manasseh. (4:43; Joshua 21:27; 1 Chronicles 6:71)
ATS Bible Dictionary
Cities Of Refuge

To provide security for those who should undesignedly kill a man, the Lord commanded Moses to appoint six cities of refuge, or asylums, that any one who should thus shed blood might retire thither, and have time to prepare his defence before the judges, and that the kinsmen of the deceased might not pursue and kill him, Exodus 21:13 Numbers 35:11-34. Of such cities there were three on each side Jordan. On the west were Kedesh of Naphtali, Shechem, and Hebron; on the east, Golan, Ramoth-Gilead, and Bezer, Joshua 20:7,8. These cities served not only for Hebrews, but for all strangers who resided in the country, De 19:1-10. The Lord also commanded that when the Hebrews should multiply and enlarge their land, they should add three other cities of refuge. But this command was never fulfilled.

The custom of blood-revenge appears to have been an institution or principle very early introduced among the nomadic oriental tribes. So firmly was this practice established among the Israelites before their entrance into the promised land, and probably also even before their sojourning in Egypt, that Moses was directed by Jehovah not to attempt to eradicate it entirely, but only to counteract and modify it by the institution of cities of refuge. The custom of avenging the blood of a member of a family or tribe upon some member of the tribe or family of the slayer, still exists in full force among the modern Bedaweens, the representatives in a certain sense of the ancient Israelites in the desert. They prefer this mode of self-vengeance. Niebuhr informs us that "the Arabs rather avenge themselves, as the law allows, upon the family of the murderer; and seek an opportunity of slaying its head, or most considerable person, whom they regard as being properly the person guilty of the crime, as it must have been committed through his negligence in watching over the conduct of those under his inspection. From this time the two families are in continual fears, till some one or other of the murderer's family be slain. No reconciliation can take place between them, and the quarrel is still occasionally renewed. There have been instances of such family feuds lasting forty years. If in the contest a man of the murdered person's family happens to fall, there can be no peace until two others of the murderer's family have been slain." How far superior to this was the Mosaic institution of cities of refuge, where the involuntary homicide might remain in peace till the death of the high-priest, and then go forth in safety, while a really guilty person did not escape punishment.

Among most of the nations of antiquity, temples, and particularly the altars within them, were regarded as proffering an asylum for fugitives from violence. Among the Hebrews we find indications of the custom on the part of the culprit of fleeing to the Lord's altar. But this was not allowed to screen the guilty from deserved punishment, Exodus 21:14 1 Kings 2:28-34.

There is an appointed city of refuge for sinners exposed to the second death, and an altar of refuge sprinkled with atoning blood. Happy the soul that flees and is safe in Christ, ere it is overtaken by the avenging law of God.

Subtopics

Cities

Cities of Refuge

Cities of Refuge of Christ

Cities of Refuge of the Hope of the Gospel

Cities of Refuge: (The Way To) Christ

Cities of Refuge: Afforded No Asylum to Murderers

Cities of Refuge: Design of

Cities of Refuge: Names of

Cities of Refuge: Required to Be: Easy of Access

Cities of Refuge: Required to Be: Open to all Manslayers

Cities of Refuge: Strangers Might Take Advantage of

Cities of Refuge: Those Admitted to not Protected Outside of

Cities of Refuge: Those Admitted to Obliged to Remain In, Until the High Priest's Death

Cities of Refuge: Those Admitted to Were Put on Their Trial

Cities of the Plain

Cities were Called For: The Country in Which Built

Cities were Called For: The Family of the Founder

Cities were Called For: The Proprietor of the Land

Cities were Frequently: Besieged

Cities were Frequently: Burned

Cities were Frequently: Depopulated

Cities were Frequently: Made Heaps of Ruins

Cities were Frequently: Pillaged

Cities were Frequently: Razed and Sown With Salt

Cities were Frequently: Stormed

Cities were Frequently: Wasted by Famine

Cities were Frequently: Wasted by Pestilence

Cities: A Great Defence to a Country

Cities: Afforded Refuge in Times of Danger

Cities: Ancient

Cities: Arranged in Streets and Lanes

Cities: Artificial Mode of Supplying Water To

Cities: Built in Desert Places

Cities: Built in Plains

Cities: Built in Pleasant Situations

Cities: Built of Brick and Mortar

Cities: Built of Brick and Slime

Cities: Built of Stone and Wood

Cities: Built with Compactness

Cities: Built: Beside Rivers

Cities: Built: Often of a Square Form

Cities: Built: On Hills

Cities: Built: On Solid Foundations

Cities: Church Triumphant

Cities: Densely Inhabited

Cities: Designated as Chariot

Cities: Designated as Merchant

Cities: Designated as Royal

Cities: Designated as Treasure

Cities: Designed for Habitations

Cities: Different Kinds of Chariot

Cities: Different Kinds of Commercial

Cities: Different Kinds of Fenced

Cities: Different Kinds of Levitical

Cities: Different Kinds of Refuge

Cities: Different Kinds of Royal

Cities: Different Kinds of Store

Cities: Different Kinds of Treasure

Cities: Difficulty of Taking, Alluded To

Cities: Entered Through Gates

Cities: Figurative

Cities: First Mention of

Cities: Fortified

Cities: Furnished With Stores

Cities: Garrisoned in War

Cities: Government of, by Rulers

Cities: Heavenly Inheritance

Cities: Infested by Dogs

Cities: Inhabitants of, Called Citizens

Cities: Numerous

Cities: Often Built to Perpetuate a Name

Cities: Often Deserted on the Approach of an Enemy

Cities: Often Fortified by Art

Cities: Often Fortified by Nature

Cities: Often Founded and Enlarged by Blood and Rapine

Cities: Often Great and Goodly

Cities: Often had Citadels

Cities: Often Insignificant

Cities: Often of Great Antiquity

Cities: Perishable Nature of

Cities: Prosperity of, Increased by Commerce

Cities: Protected at Night by Watchmen

Cities: Provided With Judges

Cities: Riches

Cities: Saints

Cities: Sometimes had Suburbs

Cities: Suburbs of

Cities: Surrounded With Walls

Cities: The Apostasy

Cities: Town Clerk of

Cities: Under Governors

Cities: Visible Church

Pentapolis

Cithern
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