When Jehovah thy God hath cut off the nations whose land Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and thou hast dispossessed them, and dwellest in their cities and in their houses,
This verse sets the time for the cities of refuge: after God removes the nations of Canaan and Israel settles in the land. Judgment on one people and mercy for a frightened man stand side by side in the same law.
The verse speaks of nations cut off. The law that follows shelters a man running for his life. One writer holds the two together.
What a striking combination of "goodness and severity" we see in these few lines! We have the "cutting off" of the nations of Canaan, because their wickedness was complete and had become unbearable. On the other hand, we have a most touching display of divine goodness in the provision made for the poor manslayer, in the day of his deep distress, when he is running for his life from the avenger of blood. The government of God and the goodness of God are both perfect. There are cases where goodness would be nothing but putting up with sheer wickedness and open rebellion, and that is impossible under the government of God.
The verse calls this land the gift of the Lord your God. One writer shows why that ownership makes bloodshed there so serious.
In Deuteronomy 19 we have the order in detail for the three cities of refuge, and then for three more. Earlier in the book we saw the first ones set apart on the other side of the Jordan. God on the one hand would mark how serious it is to shed blood; on the other, He would not treat an accidental death as the same thing as deliberate murder. In no case would God have His people forget that it was His land, so if blood was shed there, the land was defiled by it.
God set up the shelter before anyone needed it. Another writer shows the care He took to make it easy to reach.
See the gracious care our God takes to make the city of refuge as available as possible for the slayer. The three cities were to be "in the middle of your land." It would not do to have them in far corners, or in places hard to reach. And not only that, but "you shall prepare the way." … Everything was to be done to help the slayer escape. The gracious Lord thought of the feelings of the distressed man "fleeing for refuge to take hold of the hope set before him." The city of refuge was to be "brought near," just as "the righteousness of God" is brought near to the poor broken-hearted helpless sinner — so near that it is "to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly."
The refuge was never a loophole. A court decided who could stay inside it.
God's holiness shows in this: He would not shield the guilty. When judges and witnesses examined the case, they gave the guilty man up. God's grace shines in keeping the unintentional slayer safe inside the refuge, so that the avenger of blood could not lay hands on him. Here we have a picture of the gracious dealings of the Lord with Israel — the beloved but blinded nation, which is responsible before Him for the shedding of the blood of Christ. In grace He regards Israel as a "slayer," rather than a "murderer," whom He will restore in due time to the good land, the land of their possession.
The cities chosen for this shelter had names with meaning. One writer reads those names as a picture of what safety in Christ gives.
Bezer means fortification, a place enclosed and safe from outside attack. This speaks of Christ, the only true safety for someone once linked with those who crucified Him, but who holds no hatred toward Him. Such a person is welcome if he flees to the Lord Jesus. If he hated Him, he would not flee to Him. Ramoth means height. It speaks of the place of exaltation God brings every believer into through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
- Cut off. God cut off the nations of Canaan because their wickedness had become unbearable. Goodness that tolerated open rebellion would not be goodness.
- Given. Israel moved into cities and houses God gave them. The land stayed His land, so blood spilled on it defiled His gift.
- Brought near. Refuge sat in the middle of the country with roads prepared, because God thought about how a terrified man runs.
- Distinguished. The refuge kept the unintentional slayer safe and gave the guilty up. Grace never became a hiding place for guilt.
- Restored. God treats the nation that shed Christ's blood as a slayer, not a murderer, and will restore it to its land in due time.
thou shalt separate three cities for thyself in the midst of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess.
God tells Israel to set apart three cities of refuge in the land He is giving them. Why does the gift of a land come with a plan for bloodshed inside it, and who were those cities built to save?
This chapter both cuts off nations and prepares a refuge. One writer holds the two halves together.
What a very striking combination of "goodness and severity" we see in these few lines! We have the "cutting off" of the nations of Canaan. Their wickedness was complete, and it had become unbearable. On the other hand, we have a most touching display of divine goodness. God provides for the poor manslayer in the day of his deep distress, as he flees for his life from the avenger of blood. The government and the goodness of God are both divinely perfect. In some cases, goodness would be nothing but tolerating sheer wickedness and open rebellion. That is impossible under the government of God.
The verse calls the land the LORD's gift. That ownership is why bloodshed in it is so serious.
In Deuteronomy 19 we have the order in detail for the three cities of refuge, and then for three more. Earlier in the book we saw the first ones set apart on the other side of the Jordan. God would mark the seriousness of bloodshedding. At the same time, He would not confuse a death by accident with deliberate murder. God would never have His people forget that it was His land. So if blood was shed there, the land was defiled. It called for serious thought. God made man in His own image, and man's blood was spilled there.
Where God placed the cities was itself an act of care. Older translations read that they stood "in the midst of your land."
See the gracious care our God takes to make the city of refuge as available as possible for the slayer. The three cities were to be "in the midst of your land." They were not to sit in remote corners, or in places hard to reach. And more than that: "you shall prepare the way for yourself." Everything served to make the slayer's escape easier. The gracious Lord thought of the feelings of the distressed one who was "fleeing for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before him." God brought the city of refuge near, just as He brings "the righteousness of God" near to the poor broken-hearted helpless sinner.
The cities sheltered one killer and gave up another. One writer sees two things about God in that.
God's holiness shows in this: He would not shield the guilty. Competent judges and witnesses examined the case, and the guilty man was to be handed over. God's grace shines in keeping the unintentional slayer inside the refuge, where the avenger of blood could not lay hands on him. Here we have a picture of the gracious dealings of the LORD with Israel. Israel is the beloved yet blinded nation, and it is responsible before Him for the shedding of the blood of Christ. In His grace He treats Israel as a "slayer," not a "murderer," and will restore the nation in due time to the good land, the land of their possession.
The same writer who brings the refuge near to the sinner also marks where that comparison breaks down.
If we view the city of refuge as a picture of a sinner taking refuge in Christ, it holds only in a very limited way. We find points of contrast on all sides rather than points of similarity. In the first place, the manslayer in the city of refuge was not exempt from judgment, as we learn from Joshua 20:6. But for the believer in Jesus there is and can be no judgment. The reason is the simplest of all: Christ has borne the judgment instead.
Yet the same writer turns the manslayer's settled mind straight on the reader:
May he know that "strong consolation" which is the sure, because divinely appointed, portion of all those who have "fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them."
- Given. The verse calls the land the LORD's gift. Because it stays His land, blood shed in it defiles it.
- Guarded. God marks bloodshed as serious, yet He does not treat an accident as deliberate murder. Judges give up the guilty man; the refuge keeps the unintentional slayer safe.
- Granted. The cities sat in the middle of the land, with the way prepared. God brought refuge near, as He brings the righteousness of God near to the helpless.
- Grace and severity. The same chapter cuts off Canaan's nations for their completed wickedness and shelters a fleeing man. God's government and His goodness are both perfect.
- Guilt answered. God treats Israel as a slayer rather than a murderer of Christ, and keeps the nation for restoration. The same picture fits a sinner fleeing to Christ only in a limited way.
Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the territory of thy land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, so that every slayer may flee thither.
Naming three cities of refuge was not enough. God told Israel to measure the distances, divide the land, and clear the way, so a man who killed by accident could run and live.
The chapter cuts off the nations of Canaan, then shelters a man running for his life. One writer holds both together:
What a striking combination of "goodness and severity" we see in these few lines! We have the "cutting off" of the nations of Canaan, because their wickedness was complete and had become unbearable. On the other hand, we see a most touching display of divine goodness. God provided for the poor manslayer in the day of his deep distress, when he was fleeing for his life from the avenger of blood. The government and the goodness of God are both divinely perfect.
The ESV has "you shall measure the distances"; older translations read "you shall prepare the way." One writer weighs the care behind every detail — the cities, the roads, the three parts:
See the gracious care of our God to make the city of refuge as available as possible for the slayer. The three cities were to be "in the midst of your land." It would not do to have them in remote corners, or in places hard to reach. And not only that, but "you shall prepare the roads." And again, "you shall divide into three parts the area of the land." God ordered everything to make the slayer's escape easier. The gracious Lord thought of the feelings of the distressed one fleeing for refuge to take hold of the hope set before him. The city of refuge was to be brought near. In the same way, "the righteousness of God" is brought near to the poor broken-hearted, helpless sinner. It comes so near that it is "to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly."
The wording of the command itself is what draws his admiration:
There is peculiar sweetness in the expression, "You shall prepare the roads." How like our own ever gracious God — "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!"
Why divide the land at all? One writer connects the boundaries with the roads:
They were to divide the land into three parts on that side of the Jordan, with roads that would be helpful in marking the bounds of those divisions as well as making it simpler to flee to a city of refuge when a road led in that direction.
A man running for his life had to find the city fast:
In the promised land these cities stood, each on a hill, for all eyes to see. Main roads led to them, laid out so that no one could have trouble finding the way. The gates of the cities of refuge were always open, so that "any manslayer can flee to them."
Jewish tradition describes how the roads were kept, and the same writer finds a model in it for anyone who tells others about Christ:
Jewish tradition says the highways leading to the cities of refuge were kept in constant repair. It says posts marked "Refuge! Refuge!" stood at the crossroads to point out the way. It also says runners trained in the law of God stood ready to guide the fugitive to safety. These traditions say much to those who love souls. The runners are a happy picture of the evangelist. His feet should be swift to lead and help souls to Christ, and his lips full of the truths of God's holy word.
A prepared way saves no one who does not take it:
One thing more let us note: the refuge was provided, but the manslayer had to make the effort to use it. If he did not, his blood would be on his own head. This exactly pictures the situation as the gospel is preached today.
The refuge was never meant for the murderer, and one writer draws a larger picture from that:
God's holiness shows in this: He would not shield the guilty. His grace shines in keeping the unintentional slayer safe inside the refuge, so that the avenger of blood could not lay hands on him. Here we have a picture of the gracious dealings of the Lord with Israel — the beloved yet blinded nation, which is responsible before Him for shedding the blood of Christ. He graciously regards Israel as a "slayer" rather than a "murderer," to be restored in due time to the good land.
- Near — the cities sat in the middle of the land, never in remote corners; God's rule was that refuge must be within reach.
- Prepared — He did not just allow escape, He ordered roads for it; the way to safety was His own work.
- Plain — set on hills, gates open, signposts and guides along the route, so no runner could lose the way.
- Run — the refuge saved nobody who stayed outside. The manslayer had to run for it, and so must anyone who hears the gospel today.
- Both — one chapter cuts off the nations and shelters the fleeing man. God's goodness and His severity are both perfect.