Joshua 20-21
Dear RTB’ers,
My computer is still in the shop, so another crippled post today. Again, the geography is interesting, so please look back at the maps that I sent two days ago.
It’s a straightforward read today – setting apart cities of refuge in chapter 20 and cities for the Levites in chapter 21. First, the cities of refuge. You should be able to locate theses six cities on most any map of the division of the Promised Land to the twelve tribes. They start west of the Jordan in the north, then in the middle, then in the south before crossing over to the trans-Jordan tribes and reversing the listing, from the south to the middle to the north. I pointed yesterday to the fairness associated with the division of the land to the remaining seven tribes. We see fairness again today. A man who has claimed to kill someone unintentionally is allowed to flee to one of these six cities and the elders in the city must give him refuge until the death of either the avenger or the High Priest. The Lord had earlier spoken against revenge: It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip… (Deuteronomy 32:35a) The apostle Paul repeats the Lord’s words: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19) So having these cities of refuge forestalls revenge killing.
As for the cities for the Levites… Aaron had three sons – Kohath, Gershon and Merari. Earlier in Exodus and Leviticus these three sons were assigned duties relative to the Tent of Meeting (the Tabernacle) in the wilderness. Kohath, the oldest, was assigned the “most holy” chores, while the other two sons essentially had supporting roles. So when it comes to assigning lands to the Levites, Kohath comes first and his lands are all “nearby” (centrally located). They were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin and ten towns from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh. On your map you’ll see how centrally located these 23 cities are. Next the Gershonites were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the northern tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan (in the Trans-Jordan) and the Merarites received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. So these Levite “brothers” are now fully split apart, serving the Lord in these towns in these various tribes throughout the Promised Land and the Trans-Jordan. I find myself a bit sorry for the Gershonites and the Merarites, having been transported much greater distances from the center of Israeli activity.
Blessings!
See also: February 20 (2023) / Numbers 34-36
Fred, your comment about feeling sorry for the younger brothers hit home with me. I’m a middle child, and for many years I fought against my perceived “injustice” over the favoritism I thought my older sister and younger had over me. I regret that now, for I can see I did not make life easy for my parents. I questioned their decisions and argued my case daily. I’m learning that as long as God is in control, these kinds of issues don’t matter. Love matters.