February 20 / Numbers 34-36

Numbers 34-36

As we have seen before, unlike the other twelve tribes, the tribe of Levi is not to receive a large regional plot of land. The Levites have to live somewhere, though, so the LORD declares that they are to have 48 cities (or perhaps what we would now call towns) scattered throughout Israel’s territory. Of these 48, six are to be cities of refuge. Anyone who accidentally kills another could find protection from the avenger of blood (i.e., the victim’s next of kin, seeking vengeance, if not justice) by fleeing to one of the cities of refuge. Outside a city of refuge one guilty of accidentally killing another would likely pay for his mistake with his life, but within, he is protected.

Note that there is a clear distinction here between accidental killing and murder — though the resultant death is the same. Accidents are unintentional. Murder is on purpose. The cities of refuge provide no sanctuary for murderers: they get the death penalty. Involuntary manslayers do not. But note also that there are still consequences for the one who kills accidentally: he is effectively imprisoned in the city of refuge for the lifetime of the high priest — which could be days, or it could be decades.

All of that speaks of the premium value the LORD places on human life. Taking the life of another — even accidentally — is serious business not to be ignored. Murder is a capital offence. Some might argue that the death penalty is somewhat self-contradictory, that if human life is sacred, then the murderer’s life should be protected, too. But it can also be argued that anything less than the death penalty cheapens the life of the original victim. (See Num. 35:33.) I am not going to attempt to settle that debate here, but it is well worth serious consideration.

We, of course, do not find ourselves operating under the same system as the Israelites. We do not have cities of refuge. (Although one might find some slight parallels, we should not confuse these cities of refuge with our current “sanctuary cities” that shield illegal immigrants.) Though our current criminal justice system is different, it still makes the same clear distinction between accidents and murder, and I think we all instinctively know that the distinction is a proper one: willful murder is a far cry from a total accident (and manslaughter through gross negligence is somewhere in between). I am glad to see that we still retain such principles, but I think we each need to ask ourselves whether we value human life as the LORD does.