After the division of the land—both conquered and yet to be conquered—among the tribes of Israel, there were two special groups of cities set apart. A total of forty-eight cities were assigned to the Levites, the tribe that received no physical inheritance of land, for the LORD Himself was their portion. Out of these, six cities were designated as cities of refuge. These cities—Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan—were spread across Israel for accessibility. This system was meant to upheld justice, protected the innocent, and reflected God’s mercy.
Then the Lord said to Joshua: “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.” – Joshua 20:1-3 (NIV)
Purpose of these Cities
If someone kills another unintentionally, without hatred or premeditation, they may flee to a city of refuge. Such individuals could find safety from the avenger of blood—usually a close relative of the deceased—until they stood trial before the community. This system underscored the value of life, the seriousness of justice, and the provision of mercy under God’s law. Even today, legal systems follow a similar principle: that no innocent person should be punished. Guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt to prevent the shedding of innocent blood.
It is no coincidence that these cities were chosen from the Levitical allotments. As those responsible for teaching the law and upholding justice, the Levites were well suited to oversee fair trials and protect the accused. These cities offered refuge only in cases of accidental killing, shielding the individual from the avenger of blood. The accused was required to remain within the city until the death of the high priest. If they left prematurely and were killed by the avenger, the avenger would not be held guilty.
Furthermore, the law strictly forbade accepting any ransom, neither to spare a murderer from execution nor to allow someone to leave the city of refuge before the appointed time. Only the blood of the murderer could atone for the shedding of innocent blood. God made it clear that such bloodshed defiled the land, and since He dwelled among His people, the land had to remain pure.
The Law Exploited
There are several instances in Scripture of individuals fleeing their hometowns in search of refuge elsewhere. The first recorded case is that of Cain, who deliberately and premeditatedly killed his brother Abel in the open field. Even after God had warned him to overcome the temptation, he went ahead with the murder. Yet, he still asked God to protect him from the avenger of his brother’s blood. Cain spent the rest of his life in the land of Nod, east of Eden—far from the presence of God, yet still under His protection. Though he was banished as a consequence of his sin, God in His mercy placed a mark on Cain to prevent others from taking his life.
Similarly, Absalom murdered his brother Amnon after nearly two years of planning, seeking to avenge the latter’s defilement of his sister. Absalom fled to Geshur, a foreign kingdom ruled by his maternal grandfather, King Talmai. Unlike the designated cities of refuge within Israel, Geshur lay outside Israel’s borders and did not fall under the protections granted by the Law of Moses. Absalom lived there in exile for three years, evading justice and further straining his relationship with his father, King David. His flight was motivated more by personal and political reasons than by any lawful claim to sanctuary.
Lot also sought refuge—not by returning to Abraham, but in a nearby town called Zoar. When God prepared to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, He allowed Lot and his family to flee. Hesitant and fearful, Lot pleaded to take shelter in Zoar, a small town not originally designated for escape. Yet God granted his request, and Zoar became a place of mercy, sparing Lot from destruction. However, over the years, Lot’s relationship with both God and Abraham became strained, to say the least.
Refuge from Kings of the World
Throughout Scripture, we find individuals who were pursued by kings, rulers, or governments and found physical refuge in caves, deserts, or foreign lands. But these places of escape often became sacred spaces where they encountered God more intimately and were transformed spiritually.
David, before becoming king, fled from the wrath of King Saul. His refuge in places like the cave of Adullam, the wilderness of Ziph, and En Gedi became not just hiding places but spiritual altars. In these lonely and uncertain spaces, David poured out his heart to God in psalms, learning trust, humility, and worship. These years of exile shaped his character and prepared him to lead with dependence on God rather than his own strength.
Elijah, after his bold confrontation with the prophets of Baal, fled in fear from Queen Jezebel. His journey led him to Mount Horeb, where, in a cave, God met him—not with thunder or fire, but in a gentle whisper. There, Elijah’s faith was renewed, and his calling reaffirmed. His flight from danger became a quiet moment of an encounter with his Creator.
Moses, having fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian, found refuge in Midian for forty years. What seemed like exile was actually preparation. In obscurity, tending sheep, Moses was stripped of pride and trained for leadership. At the burning bush, God called him to deliver Israel, proving that the wilderness had been God’s appointed training ground.
Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to protect the infant Jesus from Herod’s murderous plot. Their journey fulfilled prophecy and revealed a pattern. God often preserves His purposes through exile. and even the Messiah was not shielded from this hardship. John, exiled to the island of Patmos, was cut off from the world but not from God. Patmos, though a place of punishment by the world, became a place of spiritual revelations for John.
These people found refuge in God when the world turned against them. Their trials became the very means through which God shaped them for His purposes. By turning away from the world and leaning into God’s appointed path, they discovered that the places of greatest vulnerability became the grounds of greatest spiritual growth.
Cain, Absalom, and Lot were also given opportunities to turn toward God in moments of crisis. Instead, they chose rebellion, pride, or compromise—and moved further from Him. The refuge they were offered became a rejected gift, a tragic contrast to those who embraced the wilderness and found God there.
What we often perceive as punishment or exile may, in reality, be God’s provision of refuge—a sacred space and time for growth, reflection, and restoration. Extended periods of isolation, hardship, or retreat can feel like setbacks, but in God’s design, they are often moments of preparation and spiritual deepening. Many in Scripture found themselves in such places—fleeing from kings, threats, or consequences—only to encounter God in more enriching ways.
We must ask ourselves: are we recognising these moments as provisions from God, or are we misinterpreting them as rejection or delays in getting justice for our plight? Through Jesus, our ultimate refuge who redeemed us from sin—we have been given a path to draw near to the Father. But are we truly making use of this grace-filled refuge? Or are we letting it pass by, too distracted by our desire for quick relief rather than lasting change?
Our Refuge
Today’s sanctuary cities provide a safe space for undocumented immigrants, protecting them from immediate deportation and allowing them to live without fear, while asylum offers legal refuge to those fleeing persecution. Both practices echo the same principle of offering protection to the vulnerable, ensuring due process, and creating a space of safety amidst danger. In essence, modern sanctuary and asylum systems serve as contemporary counterparts to the cities of refuge—upholding justice through compassion and the protection of life.
What we must understand is where is or Refuge? Who is our blood avenger? Some people mistakenly believe it is Satan—but Jesus did not pay for our sins to him. God is our true avenger, for all sin is ultimately against Him, and He alone has the authority to make things right. Yet, in His grace, He provided His own Son as a ransom for our blood.
The cities of refuge were a foreshadowing of Christ, who offers us sanctuary from the eternal consequences of sin. Just as the guilty in ancient Israel had to flee to the nearest city of refuge to be safe, we too must run to Christ for protection from judgment. In Him, we find not only safety, but also restoration.
In the cities of refuge, guilt was lifted only upon the death of the high priest. That moment marked release and restoration. Likewise, our freedom came through the death of Jesus, our great High Priest. His sacrifice did not just cover our sins temporarily—it removed them. Are we living in the fullness of that release, or clinging to guilt and patterns from which He has already set us free?
Sometimes, we treat Jesus merely as a temporary refuge from life’s problems, a place to hide until the storm passes. But He invites us to be renewed, refined, and made worthy to carry His light within us. It is not enough to seek refuge—we are called to be transformed. The question is not just whether we run to Him, but whether we allow Him to reshape us while we with Him.
True refuge in Christ is not merely a temporary place of protection and comfort; it is a place where the roots of sin are addressed and uprooted from within. Sin, like hidden termites, slowly eats away at our core. We often act urgently to escape visible trouble—like a termite infestation—yet we tolerate the quiet decay of sin in our lives. We do our best to flee from external dangers while quietly allowing internal corruption to grow, separating us from our Eternal Refuge.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. – Psalm 49:1 (NIV)
Cain was offered this chance when God warned him about the sin crouching at his door—ready to take over, just as termites take over a wooden cabin. God is our ultimate refuge. He doesn’t simply shield us from harm—He heals what is broken within. Let us come into His fold and find the refuge that surpasses any security and transformation that this world can offer.
Discussion Questions
- What was God’s intention in establishing the cities of refuge?
- Why were the cities of refuge were drawn from the inheritance of the Levites?
- Which other cities in Scripture are identified as places of refuge?
- How do the cities of refuge relate to our lives today?
The Jordan Valley 
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