Commentary - Numbers 35:6-8

Bird's-eye view

In this short passage, God lays out a crucial piece of civic and theological infrastructure for the nation of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The instructions concern the establishment of cities for the Levites, who were not given a tribal territory like their brethren. Within this provision, a special designation is made for six of these cities to function as "cities of refuge." This passage reveals God's meticulous care for His ministers (the Levites), His profound understanding of justice (distinguishing murder from manslaughter), and His provision of mercy. The entire arrangement is a glorious type, a shadow, pointing forward to the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is our ultimate refuge.

Two key principles are established here. First, the principle of refuge. A man who killed another accidentally could flee to one of these cities to escape the "avenger of blood" until his case could be fairly tried. This prevented blood feuds and ensured that justice, not vengeance, prevailed. Second, the principle of proportional responsibility. The cities for the Levites were not to be carved out of one territory but were to be given by all the tribes in proportion to their size. This ensured that the ministry of the Levites was distributed throughout the whole nation and that the burden of their support was shared equitably. This is God's wisdom on display, structuring a society where both mercy and responsibility are woven into the very fabric of the nation's geography.

Outline

Context In Numbers

The book of Numbers chronicles Israel's journey from Sinai to the plains of Moab, on the very doorstep of Canaan. It is a book of preparation, judgment, and transition. This section in chapter 35 comes after the laws concerning inheritance and just before the final instructions for conquering and settling the land. God is not just giving them a territory; He is giving them a society. He is establishing the laws and structures that will define them as His people. The provision for the Levites and the cities of refuge is a critical part of this civic constitution, ensuring that the priests and ministers of the law are provided for and that the law itself is administered with both justice and mercy.

Key Issues

Commentary

v. 6 And the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.

Right out of the gate, the instructions for the Levitical cities are tied to the provision of mercy. Before we even get the total number, we are told the primary, gospel-drenched purpose of six of them. They are "cities of refuge." A refuge from what? From the avenger of blood. The law provides for a kinsman redeemer to execute justice on a murderer, but what of the one who kills by accident? The law, in its righteous fury against the shedding of innocent blood, pursues. This is a picture of our condition. We are all guilty, and the law pursues us. But God, in His mercy, provides a place to flee. For the Israelite, it was a physical city. For us, it is a person. Christ is our city of refuge. We flee to Him, and the avenger of blood, the righteous requirement of the law, cannot touch us there. Notice also that these cities of refuge are Levitical cities. Mercy is dispensed by the ministers of God. It is in the place of God's Word and God's worship that refuge is found.

The total number of cities is then given as a sum: six plus forty-two. This is not just trivia. God is a God of order and detail. He is planning the very layout of His nation. The ministry of the Levites is not an afterthought; it is a foundational element of the society He is building.

v. 7 All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, together with their pasture lands.

Here the total is stated plainly: forty-eight cities. And a crucial detail is added: "together with their pasture lands." The Levites were not to have a tribal inheritance of vast tracts of land, because the Lord Himself was their inheritance. But this did not mean they were to be homeless paupers. God provides for His ministers. They are given cities to live in and pasture lands for their livestock. This is a practical provision that enabled them to live among the people they served without being a constant burden, and without being distracted by the need to become large-scale farmers. They were integrated into the economic life of the nation, but in a way that preserved their distinct calling. This is a standing principle: those who minister the gospel should be supported by the people of God.

v. 8 Now as for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger, and you shall take less from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his possession which he inherits.

Here we find a principle of glorious equity. How are these forty-eight cities to be provided? Not by a flat tax, where every tribe gives four cities regardless of its size or wealth. No, God's economy is one of proportional responsibility. The tribe of Judah, with its large territory, will give more cities. The tribe of Simeon, with its smaller portion, will give fewer. "Each shall give...in proportion to his possession." This is the principle of the tithe, applied to real estate. You give from the increase, from the inheritance God has given you. This is not burdensome; it is just. It prevents the smaller tribes from being crushed by the obligation and requires the larger tribes to be generous with the abundance God has given them. This principle runs right through Scripture. We are to give as God has prospered us (1 Cor. 16:2). This equitable distribution also had the practical effect of scattering the Levites throughout all of Israel, ensuring that every part of the nation had access to the teaching of God's law. The ministry was not centralized in a holy district but decentralized, embedded in the daily life of every tribe.

Key Words

Manslayer

The Hebrew here makes a distinction that is crucial for justice. It distinguishes the one who kills unintentionally (rotseach bishgagah) from the one who kills with premeditation. Our modern legal system attempts to do the same with terms like manslaughter and murder. God's law established this principle from the beginning. Justice requires making careful distinctions. The city of refuge was for the manslayer, not the murderer. It was a provision of mercy, but not a subversion of justice.

Refuge

A place of safety, a shelter from a pursuer. The concept is deeply embedded in the Psalms, where God Himself is repeatedly called our refuge. These six cities were tangible, geographic expressions of God's character as a merciful protector. They were a sermon in stone and mortar, declaring that the God of Israel is a God who provides a way of escape for those who are in peril. Ultimately, this points to Christ, who is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:4). He is the one to whom we flee.

Application

First, we must all recognize our need for a city of refuge. The law of God, in its perfect righteousness, pursues every one of us because of our sin. We are all guilty before God. There is no plea of "accidental" sin that will hold up in His court. Our only hope is to flee. We must not stand and try to argue with the avenger of blood. We must run, and run to the only place of safety, which is Jesus Christ. To be "in Christ" is to be in the city of refuge, where the condemnation of the law cannot reach.

Second, the church is to function as a city of refuge. It should be a place where penitent sinners can flee and find grace, teaching, and protection. We should be a people who embody the mercy of God, welcoming those who are pursued by the guilt and consequences of their sin, and pointing them to the cross where true atonement is found.

Finally, the principle of proportional giving is a standing command for the people of God. We are to support the work of the ministry cheerfully and generously, not under compulsion, but in proportion to how God has blessed us. The larger our inheritance in this life, the greater our responsibility to give. This is how the work of the gospel is sustained and spread throughout the world, just as the Levites were scattered throughout Israel to teach the law.