Números 35
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Números 35
Wiersbe has an interesting note that "After their conquest of Canaan, the Jews changed the names of many of the cities." (Be Counted) This makes sense because undoubtedly many of the Canaanite names had allusions to their abominable gods/practices! This was part of exterminating the dangerous leavening influence of the godless pagans. Gilbrant - So they were to have cities scattered among the other tribes with a little pastureland around them. Part of the idea of scattering the Levites throughout Israel was doubtless that these men, who would serve by turn at the central shrine, would be able to instruct the people all over the nation in their duties to God and in the teachings of Israel’s faith. The people were to be reached in their homes. (Complete Biblical Library Commentary) And you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities - This provision allows the Levites to take care of livestock as described in the next verse. For the details of provisions for the Levites see Joshua 21:1-45. Question: How was God Himself the inheritance of the Levites? Answer: Deuteronomy 18:1–2 says that the Levites had a very special inheritance from God: “The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.” The other tribes of Israel received a land inheritance in Canaan, but the Levites received no land. Instead, the Levites were given certain cities within the other tribes’ territories. The Levites’ inheritance was God Himself in the sense that they were the ones chosen to oversee the worship of the entire nation of Israel. The Levites were responsible for the tabernacle and its implements as well as overseeing the sacrifices and offerings of the people. The priests were provided for through their service. Deuteronomy 18:3–4 offers a summary of the Law’s provisions: “This is the share due the priests from the people who sacrifice a bull or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head. You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep.” The fuller explanation of this teaching is found in Numbers 18. “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting. . . . They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord. That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites’” (verses 21, 23–24). God was the unique inheritance to the Levites. He was the focus of their service, the source of their sustenance, and the significance of their calling. Their inheritance included cities, daily food, and a constant vocation, but it did not include the same type of land inheritance given to the other tribes of Israel. GotQuestions.org Numbers 35:3 "The cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their herds and for all their beasts. Jos 21:11 2Ch 11:14 Eze 45:2 Numbers 35 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries CITIES FOR LEVITES PASTURE FOR CATTLE The cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their herds and for all their beasts - The Levites would have acquired their flocks and herds through the collection of tithes and offerings from the Israelites (Nu 18:21-32). Numbers 35:4 "The pasture lands of the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits around. NET Numbers 35:4 The grazing lands around the towns that you will give to the Levites must extend to a distance of 500 yards from the town wall. NLT Numbers 35:4 The pastureland assigned to the Levites around these towns will extend 1,500 feet from the town walls in every direction. ESV Numbers 35:4 The pasturelands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around. NIV Numbers 35:4 "The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. Numbers 35 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries EXTENT OF THE PASTURES GIVEN TO LEVITES the pasture lands of the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits around - "The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) in length, so this would be a distance of 1,500 feet or 500 yards (675 meters). " (NET Note) Numbers 35:5 "You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities. Numbers 35 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Currid's Model Accounting for 1000 and 2000 You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities. Currid - In my opinion, the proper solution (DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 1000 IN V4 AND 2000 IN V5) was first proposed by the thirteenth-century rabbi Ramban and followed by modern scholars like Milgrom. It states that the perimeter of the pasture lands is a square and not a circle. A Levitical city and its pasture lands would look like this diagram. As an aside, the figure of 2000 cubits becomes later rabbinic law to limit the distance that a person may walk outside a city on the Sabbath. (EPSC-Nu) NET NOTE - The precise nature of the layout described here is not altogether clear. V. 4 speaks of the distance from the wall as being 500 yards (1000 CUBITS); v. 5, however, describes measurements of 1,000 yards (2000 CUBITS). Various proposals have been made in order to harmonize vv. 4 and 5. P. J. Budd, Numbers (WBC), 376, makes the following suggestion: “It may be best to assume that the cubits of the Levitical pasture lands are cubit frontages of land—in other words on each side of the city there was a block of land with a frontage of two thousand cubits (v 5), and a depth of 1000 cubits (v 4).” (SEE CURRID'S DIAGRAM ABOVE) Numbers 35:6 "The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. the six cities of refuge Nu 35:13,14 De 4:41-43 Jos 20:2-9 Josh 21:3,13,21,27,32,36,38 Ps 9:9 Ps 62:7,8 142:4,5 Isa 4:6 Mt 11:28 Heb 6:18 Charles Feinberg - Cities of Refuge - Part 1; Cities of Refuge - Part 2 - journal articles Numbers 35 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages (Cities of Refuge - See map below for the 6 cities of refuge marked by red squares.): Joshua 20:2-9 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 ‘He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them. 5‘Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand. 6‘He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’” 7 So they set apart (1) Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali and (2) Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and (3) Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated (4) Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and (5) Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and (6) Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation. Levitical Cities (Green Dot) and Cities of Refuge (Red Square) - click to enlarge From Holman Bible Atlas (available for purchase in digital or Hardcover) © 1998 B&H Publishing Group used by permission. Please do not reproduce. CITIES FOR THE LEVITES FOR REFUGE AND RESIDENCE The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to - See the passages in Joshua 20 above for details regarding the names of the six cities of refuge as protection from the blood avenger. Go to Nu 35:11 for continuation of discussion of cities of refuge. The names of these cities were Kedesh, Shechem, and Hebron on the west side of the Jordan, and Golan, Ramoth, and Bezer on the east side as shown on the map above with the cities of refuge marked by red squares. Close observation shows that these 6 cities were spread throughout the land in such a way that a manslayer in any part of the land would not have to travel too far to reach one of these cities of refuge. This is another manifestation of the wisdom, mercy and grace of our Great God! See another delineation of the 6 cities of refuge in Joshua 21:3,13,21,27,32,36,38. These six cities were a beautiful expression of the mercy and grace of God. -- Rod Mattoon A manslayer needed protection because their were no police and no jails to hold him safely before a trial. The only protection against a blood avenger was provided by the six cities of refuge. The issue of course is that not every death would be a murder, but some deaths would be the result of accidents. In this way a man not guilty of premeditated murder would not be wronged killed to avenge an accidental death. Jensen has an interesting remark on the cities of refuge as "a constant reminder of the intimate relationship of God’s written law and the workings of His grace, six of the Levite cities were designated as places of refuge for a manslayer fleeing from his avenger (35:6), fleeing, as it were, into a city of God to plead His mercy. The marriage of God’s righteousness and grace is vividly demonstrated in the reason and provision for cities of refuge which the Israelites were to designate in the new land." Rod Mattoon explains that "The city of refuge was to protect this individual accused of manslaughter from the goel-hadam, the avenger of blood. In the Middle East, the tribal members had the responsibility to punish any wrong done to the clan. Though accidental, the nearest male relative was duty-bound to avenge the blood or death of a family member. He was the goel-hadam, the reclaimer of the blood and the one who demanded restitution of blood. By executing a person who killed or shed blood of someone of the clan, he would bring back the honor of the family. This is why the avenger hotly pursued the manslaughterer. An example of this situation is seen in the life of King Saul. When Saul broke his covenant with the Gibeonites and slaughtered many of them, David determined to correct the injustice and asked them the price of restitution. Saul was already dead, so the Gibeonites asked for seven of Saul's sons to be delivered to them for execution. David fulfilled their request. The honor of the Gibeonites was reclaimed and justice was served. With this background and the mind-set of the goel, a refugee had to quickly get to one of the six cities of refuge for protection before the blood avenger caught up with him and could legally kill him based on "an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth." Inside the city was safety, security, and serenity. Outside the city was death, despair, doom, and destruction. Delay was dangerous and disastrous. Debating or arguing would mean death. To hesitate would render escape hopeless. Fighting back and fussing would be foolish. The refugee must flee! There was no safety on the way, or being almost there. The manslayer could die on the steps entering the city." (Numbers Commentary) NET NOTE on manslayer - The “manslayer” is the verb “to kill” in a participial form, providing the subject of the clause. The verb means “to kill”; it can mean accidental killing, premeditated killing, or capital punishment. The clause uses the infinitive to express purpose or result: “to flee there the manslayer,” means “so that the manslayer may flee there.” Refuge (04733)(miqlat) means asylum and every use refers to the cities of refuge, a city where a person guilty of manslaughter could flee and find protection from the blood avenger (the kinsman of the dead person who seeks to extract vengeance for his or her death). TWOT says "It should be distinguished from maḥseh, a place of refuge for man and/or animals, mānôs, a place of escape to which one flees, and mîsgāb, a place which is strong or high and, hence, inaccessible." Miqlat - 20x in 20v all rendered refuge - Num. 35:6; Num. 35:11; Num. 35:12; Num. 35:13; Num. 35:14; Num. 35:15; Num. 35:25; Num. 35:26; Num. 35:27; Num. 35:28; Num. 35:32; Jos. 20:2; Jos. 20:3; Jos. 21:13; Jos. 21:21; Jos. 21:27; Jos. 21:32; Jos. 21:38; 1 Chr. 6:57; 1 Chr. 6:67 And in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities - The Levites were to be granted a total inheritance of 48 cities spread throughout the land. The Levites would have served (at least in theory) as reminders to the sons of Israel of the continual need for pursuit of holiness and reverential fear of the LORD. Related Resources: Charles Feinberg - Cities of Refuge - Part 1; Cities of Refuge - Part 2 - journal articles International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Refuge, Cities of Holman Bible Dictionary Cities of Refuge Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Cities of Refuge McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia City of Refuge The Jewish Encyclopedia Cities of Refuge Torrey's Topic - Cities of Refuge Design of Exodus 21:13; Numbers 35:11; Joshua 20:3 Names &c of Deuteronomy 4:41-43; Joshua 20:7,8 REQUIRED TO BE Easy of access Deuteronomy 19:3; Isaiah 62:10 Strangers might take advantage of Numbers 35:15 THOSE ADMITTED TO Were put on their trial Numbers 35:12,24 Not protected outside of Numbers 35:26,27 Obliged to remain in, until the high priest's death Numbers 35:25,28 Afforded no asylum to murderers Exodus 21:14; Numbers 35:16-21 ILLUSTRATIVE Of Christ Psalm 91:2; Isaiah 25:4 (The way to,) of Christ Isaiah 35:8; John 14:6 James Smith Handfuls of Purpose - THE CITIES OF REFUGE Numbers 35 “The child that to its mother clings Lies not all safely on her breast Till she her arms around it flings, Sweetly caressing and caressed. Ev’n so, my God, Thy mighty arms, Not aught of mine, shield me from harms.” Doubtless the apostle had these cities of refuge in his mind when he wrote these words in Hebrews 6: “We have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” So the cities of refuge are typical of the hope set before us in Jesus Christ. “A man shall be an hiding place.” As such they were— 1. Appointed by God. “The Lord spake unto Moses, saying,” &c. (Nu 35:1). Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour (Acts 5:31). “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” A prophet chosen out of the people. 2. In charge of the Levites (Nu 35:6). The Levites had charge of the holy things in connection with the worship of God, and may represent the ambassadors for Christ, into whose hands the Gospel of salvation has been committed, as taught in 2 Corinthians 5:20. 3. Set apart for manslayers. “Which ye shall appoint for the man slayers” (Nu 35:6). O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself—a manslayer. The man who commits sin is a manslayer. All have sinned, all are in need of a place of refuge. How many are killing themselves unwittingly? 4. To be entered in haste. “That he may flee thither” (Nu 35:6). There is great danger in delay. Death may overtake the sinner before he reaches the refuge that is in Christ. Escape for thy life. Behold, now is the accepted time. I flee to Thee to hide me. (2 Cor 6:2) 5. A protection against a lawful avenger. “Cities for refuge from the avenger” (Nu 35:12). The avenger of the murdered one had the authority of God to kill the murderer outside the cities of refuge. The avenger fitly represents the law (Ro 7:9), which cannot save, but has power to kill. By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified. 6. In convenient places. “Three cities on this side of Jordan, and three in the land of Canaan” (Nu 35:14). Within easy reach of all, and were located in conspicuous spots, so that they might be easily seen at the distance. The Gospel of Christ is to be preached to every creature. “Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets, she crieth in the chief places of concourse” (Pr 1:20–26). “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). 7. Open for all. “For every one that killeth any person” (Nu 35:15). The stranger as well as the children of Israel had the privilege of the refuge. The salvation of Christ is offered to all. There is room enough in this atoning death for every guilty, trusting soul. If any man thirst let him come unto Me. By Me if any man enter in he shall be saved. 8. For all those who were sorry for their deeds. These cities afforded no shelter to the wilful murderer. “He shall surely be put to death” (Nu 35:16). They were appointed for those who had killed unawares, and the man who had killed his neighbour unawares would certainly be a very sorrowful man. The death of Christ, apart from repentance and faith, cannot shelter the guilty soul. Repent, and believe the Gospel. 9. Places of justice and judgment. “The congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood, according to these judgments” (Nu 35:24). There is a very solemn thought here. To become our refuge Christ must take our place. The just judgments of God were meted out to Him, and the question of sin eternally settled. So that He is now a just God and a Saviour. “I have betrothed thee unto Me in righteousness” (Hosea 2:19). 10. Abiding places for the slayer. “He shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest.” This is a precious thought. The life of the slayer who had fled to the city for refuge was henceforth connected with the life of the high priest, who was anointed with the koly oil (Nu 35:25). As long as the high priest lived, he lived in the place of safety. As long as Christ our Great High Priest lives, we shall live by Him. Because I live, ye shall live also (Jn 14:19). Abide in Me (Jn 15:4) . The language of David is very beautiful in this connection. “Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life; but with me thou shalt be in safeguard” (1 Sa 22:23). Numbers 35:7 "All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, together with their pasture lands. Jos 21:3-42 1Ch 6:54-81 Numbers 35 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries FORTY-EIGHT CITIES FOR THE LEVITES All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, together with their pasture lands - The principle is clear that the spiritual servants of Yahweh were wholly dependent on Him for their provisions. THOUGHT - How profitable it would be for us as His NT priests (1 Pe 2:9+, Rev 1:6+, Rev 5:10+) to continually see ourselves as wholly dependent on our Holy God not just for our "daily bread" but our "daily breath!" Ro 11:36+ says it perfectly "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." Or as David says "The LORD is the Portion of my inheritance and my Cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me." (Ps 16:5-6). As
Números 35
Wiersbe - Jesus Christ is our “city of refuge” (Heb. 6:18). When we trust Him, our sins are all forgiven and judgment is past (Rom. 8:1). Salvation is not probation. If the fugitive left the city, he was in danger of death. In Jesus Christ, we have eternal life (John 5:24). Our High Priest will never die; therefore, we are saved eternally (Heb. 7:23–28). (WWBC) Rod Mattoon has an interesting explanation (some of his details are extra-biblical) that "Because of the importance of the cities, several conditions were met. The cities were spread out throughout the land where residents would be within a day's journey. They were placed on hills where they could be easily seen. They were for all men whether Jew or Gentile. The access to the cities were to be as easy as possible. The Sanhedrin was responsible to maintain the roads to these cities. The roads had to be free from any stumbling blocks, obstacles, or anything that would hurt the feet. Bridges were to be at least 32 cubits (48 feet) wide. Large signs were erected on every corner with the words miklac which means "refuge." The sign had to be large enough so they could be easily seen or read if in hot pursuit or flight. Two law students were placed on the route to accompany a fleeing refugee to the city in the event a blood avenger should catch up with the refugee. The lawyers would try to pacify the goel until there was a legal investigation. The gates of the cities were always open and attended 24 hours a day by men whose duty was to receive fugitives. The doors were always unlocked at night even in war time. Most gates of the cities were locked at night. The fugitive upon arrival would plead his case to the elders for a trial. He would be taken in and would be provided with shelter and food. The trial was usually within days. He would be judged by at least 23 officials. This was the amount needed for a guilty verdict. If the fugitive was found guilty of intentional murder, he was turned over to the blood avenger for execution. Bribes were not allowed (ED: AND NEITHER WAS RANSOM PAYMENT). If the fugitive was found innocent of the charges of premeditated murder, the fugitive could live only in the city of refuge until the death of the High Priest. He could then return home. If the fugitive died in the city, the bones were turned over to the family upon the death of the High Priest. If the fugitive was confined to the city, he was assigned convenient habitation, rent free. If he knew no trade, he was taught a trade for self-support. The mother of the High Priest would help feed and clothe this unfortunate victim so that they might not be impatient and pray for the death of their son (High Priest), upon whose death the fugitive's liberty and property were restored." (Numbers Commentary) Cities of Refuge were a foreshadowing of the refuge we find in Christ... Psalms 91:2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” Isaiah 25:4 For You have been a defense for the helpless, A defense for the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; For the breath of the ruthless Is like a rain storm against a wall. Hebrews 6:18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. G Campbell