Deuteronomy 19:1-13--Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge

Deuteronomy 19:1-13
English Standard Version

Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge
19 “When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. 3 You shall measure the distances and divide into three parts the area of the land that the LORD your God gives you as a possession, so that any manslayer can flee to them.

4 “This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having hated him in the past-- 5 as when someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live, 6 lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past. 7 Therefore I command you, You shall set apart three cities. 8 And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers-- 9 provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the LORD your God and by walking ever in his ways—then you shall add three other cities to these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you.

11 “But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities, 12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die. 13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may be well with you.

---

We're still generally in the portion of Deuteronomy that is talking about the inheritance for the Levites.  Their main inheritance was their ministry and their portion of the sacrifices, tithes and offerings, but they would also have some land given to them among the people that would be called Cities of Refuge where those accused of manslaughter or murder could run for refuge from bounty hunters, avengers and mercenaries that would try to exact their own justice (especially if they were a close family member of the victim).  The accused would be assured a fair trial if he ran to the City of Refuge and there was always supposed to be one close by so that the person could immediately make flight for that city and be safe.

This passage describes how these cities were to be set up and how more were to be added if the LORD enlarged their territories.  The accused must live in the city of refuge for safety if he is found innocent, but he would be stoned to death if he was found guilty.  These cities were also places where the Levites would live so that they could be there to protect the innocent or those awaiting trial and to hold the trial and if necessary execute the guilty.

There is even provision for if someone falsely runs to one of these cities to escape justice, and there was a provision for extradition if requested by the elders of the town that knew that it was premeditated murder.  They would deliver the accused to the avenger who would be the first to cast stones (as would the entire city after the man was found guilty).

The avengers were not to go into the Cities of Refuge to see vengeance, but if the accused left the protection of the City of Refuge before the appointed time that his sin had been removed (the death of the high priest), then the avenger could slay him without being guilty of murder.