20:1-9
The general allocation of the land has been dealt with and we now come to some of the finer details, with this chapter dealing with the cities of refuge. These cities have had several mentions already, the first being in Numbers 35:6-34, though the principle was mentioned in Ex 21:12-14. The object was to distinguish between the case where someone had deliberately killed someone, and where he had accidentally killed someone. In both cases the victim’s family would feel greatly aggrieved and maybe liable to exact vengeance. The cities of refuge concept was designed to deal with this latter case. If someone fled to one of these cities they were to present their case at the entrance to the city. There would be a trial to determine the truth of the matter, but the man claiming it was accidental was to be allowed to have a fair hearing. Even if it was shown that the death was indeed accidental, he would still have to pay compensation, but he would not lose his life. Six cities in total were set aside for this purpose, three each side of the Jordan. The rule applied to Israelites and foreigners alike.
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