Tucked into Joshua 20 is a system that can seem unfamiliar to modern readers: the cities of refuge.
God commanded Israel to set apart six cities where someone who accidentally caused another person’s death could flee for protection until the case was properly heard.
These cities were part of Israel’s justice system, but they also teach powerful truths about guilt, mercy, protection, and the refuge God provides.
Why Were Cities of Refuge Needed?
In ancient Israel, if someone was killed, a close relative could act as the avenger of blood.
This person had responsibility within the family to pursue justice for the death.
But what if the killing was accidental?
God’s law made a distinction between murder and unintentional killing.
The cities of refuge protected someone from immediate retaliation until the situation could be judged fairly.
They prevented vengeance from outrunning justice.
Six Cities Were Set Apart
Joshua 20 records six cities of refuge:
- Kedesh
- Shechem
- Hebron
- Bezer
- Ramoth
- Golan
They were spread throughout Israel so that refuge would be accessible.
Three were west of the Jordan River and three were east of it.
No matter where someone lived, a place of refuge was within reach.
Who Could Flee There?
The cities were specifically for someone who had killed another person unintentionally and without prior hatred.
This distinction mattered.
Someone guilty of deliberate murder could not simply hide in a refuge city to avoid justice.
The system protected the innocent from wrongful revenge while still holding the guilty accountable.
God’s mercy never erased His justice.
The Avenger of Blood
The Hebrew term often translated “avenger of blood” is go’el haddam.
The word go’el means a family redeemer or protector.
We encounter the same basic word in Ruth when Boaz acts as a kinsman-redeemer.
In the context of the cities of refuge, the family protector had a responsibility connected to justice after a relative’s death.
This makes the system especially interesting:
The same family role associated with redemption could also be associated with justice.
The Accused Had to Flee
The person seeking refuge had to go to the city.
Joshua says the person would stand at the city gate and explain the case to the elders.
If admitted, the elders gave the person a place to live among them.
Refuge was available, but the person had to enter it.
Remaining outside the city meant remaining exposed to the avenger of blood.
Refuge Did Not Mean Avoiding Judgment
The city of refuge was not an escape from accountability.
The accused person still faced a hearing.
The congregation would examine what happened and determine whether the killing had been intentional or accidental.
If the death was accidental, the person was returned safely to the refuge city.
If it was murder, the refuge system offered no protection from rightful judgment.
This reveals something important about biblical mercy:
Mercy and justice are not enemies.
God’s system protected people while still taking wrongdoing seriously.
Why Did the Person Stay There?
If judged innocent of murder, the person still remained within the city of refuge.
They could not simply return home immediately.
Numbers 35 explains that they were to remain there until the death of the high priest.
Only then could they safely return to their own land.
That detail can seem unusual, but it becomes one of the most intriguing parts of the picture.
The Death of the High Priest
The person’s release was connected to the death of the high priest.
The Old Testament does not fully explain why this event marked the end of the exile-like period.
But from a Christian perspective, the connection is striking.
Hebrews presents Jesus as our Great High Priest, and His death is what secures our freedom.
We should be careful not to force every detail into a symbolic meaning the text itself does not state, but the parallel is still worth noticing:
The death of the high priest marked release.
The death of Jesus, our Great High Priest, brings true freedom from guilt and condemnation.
God Himself Is Called Our Refuge
The idea of refuge extends far beyond Joshua.
The Psalms repeatedly describe God Himself as a refuge.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
- Psalm 46:1
Refuge in Scripture is ultimately not about a location.
It is about protection found in God.
The cities were tangible reminders that God cares about justice, mercy, protection, and the vulnerable.
Refuge and the Gospel
The cities of refuge are not a direct prophecy of Jesus, but they create a pattern that helps us understand the language of salvation.
We are guilty before a holy God because of sin.
We cannot create safety for ourselves.
We need somewhere to run.
The New Testament uses the language of refuge when describing the hope believers have in God:
“We who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.”
- Hebrews 6:18
That language is especially beautiful when read against the Old Testament background of someone fleeing to safety.
Jesus Is Our Refuge
Jesus does more than temporarily protect us from danger.
He deals with the deeper problem of our guilt.
The person fleeing to a city of refuge might be innocent of murder, but humanity is not innocent before God.
We have sinned.
That makes the gospel even more remarkable.
Jesus does not simply provide a place for innocent people to hide.
He provides forgiveness for the guilty.
Through His death and resurrection, those who trust in Him are forgiven, reconciled to God, and no longer condemned.
Justice Is Not Ignored
The cities of refuge teach us that mercy never requires pretending wrongdoing does not matter.
The same is true at the cross.
God does not save sinners by simply overlooking sin.
Justice is satisfied through Christ.
Paul writes that God is both:
“just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
- Romans 3:26
At the cross, justice and mercy meet.
Sin is taken seriously.
And sinners are offered refuge.
A Refuge Open to Everyone
The cities of refuge were not only available to native-born Israelites.
Numbers 35 explains that they were also available to foreigners and others living among them.
God’s provision of justice and protection extended beyond ethnic boundaries within Israel’s community.
Likewise, the gospel invitation extends to every nation.
Jesus offers refuge to all who come to Him in faith.
Safe Within the Refuge
As long as the person remained within the boundaries of the refuge city, the avenger of blood could not lawfully take their life.
The city represented safety.
This creates a helpful picture of the security believers have in Christ.
Paul writes:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
- Romans 8:1
Our security is not found in our ability to defend ourselves.
It is found in Christ.
From Refuge to Home
The person who fled to a city of refuge was safe, but they were also away from home.
Eventually, after the death of the high priest, they could return.
The Bible’s larger story also moves toward homecoming.
Humanity was driven from Eden because of sin.
Through Christ, God reconciles us to Himself.
And Revelation ends with God dwelling permanently with His redeemed people.
The story moves from exile to refuge to home.
Why This Matters
The cities of refuge reveal the heart of God’s justice.
He cares about truth.
He protects people from uncontrolled vengeance.
He distinguishes between intentional and accidental harm.
He provides a place of safety.
And He requires fair judgment.
For believers, these cities also give us language for understanding something even greater.
Jesus is our refuge.
He does not merely shelter us from consequences.
He deals with our guilt, satisfies justice, forgives our sin, and brings us safely into fellowship with God.
Key Scriptures
Numbers 35:9-34
Deuteronomy 19:1-13
Joshua 20:1-9
Psalm 46:1
Psalm 91:1-2
Romans 3:23-26
Romans 8:1
Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 6:18-20
Ask Yourself
- Why did God distinguish between murder and accidental killing?
- What do the cities of refuge reveal about God’s justice and mercy?
- Why was the accused person required to remain in the refuge city?
- What is significant about release following the death of the high priest?
- How does the language of refuge help us understand salvation in Christ?
- How does Jesus provide something greater than the cities of refuge ever could?
Final Reminder
The cities of refuge provided safety in a world where justice could quickly become vengeance.
But they also fit into a much larger biblical story.
God is our true refuge, and Jesus is the One to whom guilty sinners can run.
In Him, justice is satisfied, condemnation is removed, and we find a refuge no earthly city could ever provide