You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avengerThe concept of cities of refuge is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern legal tradition, where sanctuary was provided for those who committed unintentional manslaughter. These cities were strategically located throughout Israel to be accessible to all. The "avenger" refers to the "goel," or kinsman-redeemer, who had the responsibility to avenge the blood of a slain relative. This system reflects God's justice and mercy, ensuring protection for the innocent while maintaining the sanctity of life. Theologically, these cities prefigure Christ as our refuge, offering protection from the ultimate avenger, which is divine justice against sin.
so that the manslayer will not die
The term "manslayer" specifically denotes someone who has killed another unintentionally, distinguishing them from a murderer. The provision of refuge underscores the value of human life and the importance of intent in God's justice system. This protection prevents the cycle of blood vengeance, which was common in ancient cultures. It highlights the principle that justice should be measured and not driven by personal vendetta. This anticipates the New Testament teaching of grace, where believers are spared from spiritual death through Christ's atoning work.
until he stands trial before the assembly
The trial before the assembly ensured that justice was served fairly and publicly. The assembly, likely composed of local elders, acted as judges to determine the intent and circumstances of the killing. This process reflects the communal responsibility in maintaining justice and order. It also points to the importance of due process, a principle that has influenced modern legal systems. In a typological sense, this foreshadows the final judgment where all will stand before God, the ultimate judge, to give an account of their lives.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Cities of RefugeDesignated places where individuals who committed unintentional manslaughter could seek asylum to avoid immediate retribution from the "avenger of blood" until a fair trial could be conducted.
2.
ManslayerA person who has killed another unintentionally. The cities of refuge provided protection for such individuals, distinguishing between accidental and premeditated murder.
3.
Avenger of BloodA family member of the deceased who sought justice or retribution for the killing. This role was part of the ancient Near Eastern practice of blood vengeance.
4.
The AssemblyThe community or congregation responsible for judging the case of the manslayer to determine guilt or innocence.
5.
TrialThe legal process by which the assembly would hear the case of the manslayer to ensure justice was served fairly and without bias.
Teaching Points
Justice and MercyThe cities of refuge illustrate God's balance of justice and mercy. While justice demands accountability, mercy provides protection and a fair trial for those who have sinned unintentionally.
The Role of CommunityThe assembly's role in judging the manslayer highlights the importance of community involvement in maintaining justice and order. It underscores the need for collective discernment and wisdom.
God’s Provision for SafetyThe provision of cities of refuge reflects God’s concern for the safety and well-being of His people, even those who have erred unintentionally. It serves as a reminder of God’s protective nature.
Spiritual Refuge in ChristJust as the cities provided physical refuge, Christ offers spiritual refuge. Believers can find safety and forgiveness in Him, escaping the ultimate avenger, which is sin and death.
Accountability and RepentanceThe requirement for the manslayer to stand trial before the assembly emphasizes the need for accountability and the opportunity for repentance and restoration.
Lists and Questions
Top 10 Lessons from Numbers 35
What were the biblical Cities of Refuge for?
What defines the Sanctuary Movement?
Why would a just God need these specific cities of refuge in Joshua 20 if He could prevent unjust killings in the first place?
Why is there no conclusive archaeological evidence for the six cities of refuge (Numbers 35:9-15) if they were central to Israelite legal practice?(12)
And they shall be unto you cities for refuge . . . --Better,
And the cities shall be unto you for refuge(or,
as a place of refuge)
from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stand before the congregation for judgment.The avenger (Heb.,
goel) was the near kinsman whose office it was to redeem the person or inheritance of his kinsman, if that kinsman was reduced by poverty to sell himself into slavery, or to sell his inheritance; and also to avenge his blood in the event of his being slain. (See
Leviticus 25:25-55, and Notes.) The law of the
goel,as contained in this chapter, served to keep in check the excited passions of the near relations of the man who had been slain, and to secure for him a fair and impartial trial. The duties which devolved upon the congregation are stated in
Numbers 35:24-25. Christ, as our "Redeemer" (Heb.,
goel)
,ever lives (
Job 19:25). He has redeemed the persons and the inheritance of His people by His death; and He will in the last great day, ransom them from the power of the grave, and redeem them from death (
Hosea 13:4, where the cognate verb to
goeloccurs), and will avenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth (
Revelation 6:10).
Verse 12. -
From the avenger. Hebrew,
גֹאֵל. Septuagint,
ὁ ἀγχιστεύων τὸ αῖμα. In all other passages (twelve in number) where the word occurs in this sense it is qualified by the addition
"of blood." Standing by itself, it is everywhere else translated "kinsman," or (more properly) "redeemer," and is constantly applied in that sense to God our Saviour (
Job 19:25;
Isaiah 63:16 etc.). The two ideas, however, which seem to us so distinct, and even so opposed, are in their origin one. To the men of the primitive age, when public justice was not, and when might was right, the only protector was one who could and would avenge them of their wrongs, and by avenging prevent their repetition. This champion of the injured individual, or rather family, - for rights and wrongs were thought of as belonging to families rather than to individuals, was their goel, who had their peace, their safety, above all, their honour, in his charge. For no sentiments spring up quicker, and none exercise a more tyrannous sway, than the sentiment of honour, which in its various and often strangely distorted forms has always perhaps outweighed all other considerations in the minds of men. Now the earliest form in which the sentiment of honour asserted itself was in the blood-feud. If one member of a family was slain, an intolerable shame and sense of contumely rested upon the family until blood had been avenged by blood, until "satisfaction" had been done by the death of the manslayer. He who freed the family from this intolerable pain and humiliation - who enabled it to hold up its head, and to breathe freely once more - was the goel; and in the natural order of things he was the nearest "kinsman" of the slain who could and would take the duty upon him. To these natural feelings was added in many cases a religious sentiment which regarded homicide as a sin against the higher Powers for which they too demanded the blood of the guilty. Such was the feeling among the Greeks, and probably among the Egyptians, while among the Hebrews it could plead Divine sanction, given in the most comprehensive terms: "Your blood of your lives will I require, at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man;... whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed" (
Genesis 9:5, 6). The moral difficulties of this proclamation need not here be considered; it is enough to take note that the Divine law itself recognized the duty as well as the lawfulness of private blood-revenge when public justice could not be depended on. The goel, therefore, was not merely the natural champion of his family, nor only the deliverer who satisfied the imperious demands of an artificial code of honour; he was a minister of God, in whose patient efforts to hunt down his victim the thirst for vengeance was to some extent at least superseded by, or rather transmuted into, the longing to glorify God (compare the difficult case of
Revelation 6:10). It was not merely human feelings of great reach and tenacity which were outraged by the immunity of the manslayer; it was still more the justice of God which received a grievous wound. Just because, however, God had made the cause of the slain man his own, and had sanctioned the avenging mission of the goel, he could therefore regulate the course of vengeance so as to make it run as even as possible with true justice. It was not indeed possible to distinguish
ab initio between the homicide which deserved and that which did not deserve capital punishment. Such distinction, difficult under any circumstances, was impossible when vengeance was in private hands. But while the goel could not be restrained from immediate pursuit unhindered by investigation or compunction (lest his whole usefulness be paralyzed), the manslayer might have opportunity to escape, and to be sheltered under the Divine mercy until he could establish (if that were possible) his innocence. No better instance can be found of the way in which the King of Israel adopted the sentiments and institutions of a semi-barbarous age, added to them the sanctions of religion, and so modified them as to secure the maximum of practical good consistent with the social state and moral feelings of the people. No doubt many an individual was overtaken and slain by the goel who did. not deserve to die according to our ideas; but where perfection was unattainable, this error was far less dangerous to that age than the opposite error of diminishing the sanctity of human life and the awfulness of Divine justice. The congregation. Hebrew,
עֵדָה. This word is used frequently from
Exodus 12:3 to the end of this chapter, and again in Joshua and the last two chapters of Judges. It is not found in Deuteronomy, nor often in the later books. In every case apparently
eydah signifies the whole nation as gathered together,
e.g., as represented by all who had an acknowledged right to appear, for of course 600,000 men could not gather together in any one place. The force of the word may be understood by reference to its use in
Judges 20:1;
Judges 21:10, 13, 16. Another word (
קָהָל) is also used, less frequently in Leviticus and Numbers, but more frequently in the later books, for the general assembly of the people of Israel. No distinction of meaning can be drawn between the two words, and it cannot, therefore, be maintained that the "congregation" of this verse means the local elders of
Joshua 20:4. The regulations there laid down are not inconsistent with the present law, but are quite independent of it. They refer to a preliminary hearing of the case as stated by the fugitive alone in order to determine his right to shelter in the mean time; which right, if accorded, was without prejudice to the future judgment of the "congregation" on the whole facts of the case (see below on verse 25).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
You are to haveוְהָי֨וּ(wə·hā·yū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, bethese citiesהֶעָרִ֛ים(he·‘ā·rîm)Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892:Excitementas a refugeלְמִקְלָ֖ט(lə·miq·lāṭ)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4733:Refuge, asylumfrom the avenger,מִגֹּאֵ֑ל(mig·gō·’êl)Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1350:To redeem, act as kinsmanso that the manslayerהָרֹצֵ֔חַ(hā·rō·ṣê·aḥ)Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7523:To dash in pieces, kill, to murderwill notוְלֹ֤א(wə·lō)Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nodieיָמוּת֙(yā·mūṯ)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191:To die, to killuntilעַד־(‘aḏ-)Preposition
Strong's 5704:As far as, even to, up to, until, whilehe standsעָמְד֛וֹ(‘ā·mə·ḏōw)Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975:To stand, in various relationstrialלַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃(lam·miš·pāṭ)Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941:A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, stylebeforeלִפְנֵ֥י(lip̄·nê)Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440:The facethe assembly.הָעֵדָ֖ה(hā·‘ê·ḏāh)Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5712:A stated assemblage
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OT Law: Numbers 35:12 The cities shall be to you (Nu Num.) 
