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SURVEY OF BIBLE HISTORY
The Cities of Refuge
Joshua Lesson 15

Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1998
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

Joshua 20

After Joshua received his portion in the promised land, "The LORD also spake unto Joshua saying, appoint out for you cities of refuge":

1. Moses' law in Israel authorized a professional executioner. He had responsibility and authority to take the life of anyone proven guilty of a capital crime. (He could only execute an offender providing there were two or more qualified witnesses against him, (Deut. 19:1b and Duet.17:6). Wherever the executioner, called "the revenger of blood", found the guilty party, he was to slay him. Num. 35:19. "The revenqer of blood himself, shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him." (Certain relatives of a murdered party could avenge his blood by executing the murderer.) If a guilty party fled to any city for safety, even a city of refuge, the elders of that city were commanded of God to take that person into custody, and deliver him to the "avenqer of blood" for execution. Listen to Deut. 19:11-13, "But if any man hate his neiqhbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortaly that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenqer of blood, that he may die, Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the quilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may qo well With thee," That last statement is especially striking in view of today's reactions against capital punishment.

2. Although, sometimes a man would kill another man unintentionally: "by accident" as we'd say. For the benefit of these people, God appointed six cities, strategically located throughout the land. They were called "cities of refuge"; and the person who killed another person ‘unawares’ or unintentionally, could flee there and be safe from the avenger of blood. Num, 35:11 says, "Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuqe for you that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person unawares," Joshua 20:3-5 explains how the person guilty of the unintentional death of another was to go to a city of refuge, present his case, and how the elders were to protect him in that city. There the avenger of blood could not touch him, "That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwitinqly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuqe from the avenqer of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of that city, and shall declare his cause in the ears ot the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell amonq them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they Shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unwittingly and hated him not beforetime." The "slayer" (as the guilty party was called) was to remain in that city of refuge until his case was tried and the reigning high priest died. Josh. 20:6, "And he shall dwell in that city until he stand before the Congreqation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return and come unto his own city, and unto his own house. unto the city from whence he fled," If he ever left the confines of that city; and the avenger of blood caught him, the avenger could kill him on the spot, and be guiltless in so doing· Num. 35:26-28, "But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the citv of refuge, whither he was fled; And the revenqer of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuqe and the revenqer of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be quilty of blood: Because he should have remained in the city of his refuqe until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession,"

3. The six cities of refuge were located strategically throughout the land, three east of the Jordan and three west of the Jordan. Josh. 20:7-9:

a. Kedesh in Galilee in Mount Naphtali.

b. Shechem in Mount Ephraim·

c. Hebron.

These are all locations west of the Jordan. (Locate each on a map). The following are east of the Jordan.

c. Bezer in the plain within the tribe of Reuben.

e. Ramoth in Gilead.

f. Golan in Bashan.

An interesting incident happened at Hebron during the early reign of King David. Abner was King Saul's chief military captain. Joab was King David's captain. At the death of Saul, Abner tried to deliver the kingdom of Saul into the hand of Ishbosheth, Saul's son. A blood battle developed at Gibeon, between King David's soldiers and those under Abner's command. Abner and his men were beaten· As Abner retreated, Joab's brother, Asahel, pursued Abner. II Sam, 2:8-23 tells the story. vs 21 & 22 say Abner plead with Asahel to turn aside, and let him go. Yet, Asahel would not turn aside; but pursued, intent upon killing Abner. V. 23 says that in self-defense, as Asahel came close to kill Abner, Abner ran the back shaft of his spear through Asahel and killed him. Because the death of Asahel was self-defense, Abner was entitled to refuge in one of the six cities of refuge. Joab, Asahel's brother, was also entitled to avenge his brother's death by taking Abner's life. Although, Joab could not touch Abner as long as Abner was within the borders of a city of refuge. Although, outside a city of refuge, Abner was "fair game" for Joab.

A few weeks later, Abner came to David at Hebron, one of the six cities of refuge. David was ruling from Hebron at that time. After Abner met with David and left Hebron, Joab heard of his presence there. II Sam 3:26 says he sent messengers to ask Abner to return to Hebron, which he did. As Abner returned, just before he stepped inside the gate of Hebron and safety, Joab called him aside and ran a dagger under his fifth rib. Listen to II Sam. 3:27 "And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the qate to speak with him quietly, and Smote him there under the fifth rib that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother."

What irony! Abner died just outside the gate of safety. All he had to do to be safe from Joab, his avenger of blood, was step inside. But, he didn't! When King David heard what had happened,

II Sam. 3:33-34 says, "King lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters; as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him."

A few years ago I stood in Hebron, and gazed along time at Abner's tomb. I couldn't help thinking how many there are like him today. This world is full of men and women standing just outside the gate of safety. Jesus Christ is the way to eternal life. He said it. "I am the way", John 14:6. He said in Jno. 10:9, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." And to every man, safety is just as close as faith in Jesus, for Jno. 3:36 says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life’ And Rev. 22:17 says, 'Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely."

Yet, most men, like Abner, are standing just outside. Their hands are not bound, and their feet are not in fetters· No power in heaven or on earth, except their own, prohibits them from entering into the eternal life and safety which is in Jesus. Yet, they wait: close: so close: yet eternally lost, facing eternal death eyeball to eyeball.

Why? There is no logical, reasonable answer to that question. Only neglect, unconcern, and foolishness can account for any man perishing just outside the gate, when he was free and capable of moving inside to life and safety.

QUESTIONS ON THE CITIES OF REFUGE

1. Who was Israel's avenger of blood?

2. Whose life could the avenger of blood take?

3. Was there any safety from him for those guilty of capital crimes?

4. What person guilty of the death of another person could find safety from the avenger of blood?

5. Where was the place of safety from the avenger of blood?

6. How many of these places were there in Israel?

7. Locate each city of refuge on your map.

8. How long must the "slayer" stay in a city of refuge?

9. When did the "slayer" become "fair game" for the avenger of blood?

10. Who determined if a person guilty of the death of another was a "slayer" verses a "murderer"?

11. How many witnesses were necessary to bring the execution of anyone?

12. Were the people of Israel to oppose capital punishment?

13. Who was Abner?

14. Who was Joab?

15. How was Asahel related to Joab?

16. Why was Abner justified in the death of Asahel?

17. Why was Joab justified in the death of Abner?

18. Where did the death of Abner occur?

19. Why did King David say Abner died as a fool dieth?

20. How does Abner foreshadow millions of lost sinners today?

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"