When the Israelites went away from the camp at Gilgal to live in different parts of the promised land, they had no Bibles to take with them. They had no tabernacle near by, and no longer could they see the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night to remind them of the nearness of God. It would seem that they might soon forget about God. But God knew how much these people would need to be reminded of him. So he planned a way for them to keep his words always in mind. He planned to have some of the Levites go with them to every part of the land.
The Levites, you remember, were chosen to care for the worship of God at the tabernacle. And they became teachers of the law of God. Only a part of them Were needed at one time to serve in the tabernacle worship at Shiloh. And so they changed about; for there were many Levites. Those who were not serving at the tabernacle went home to their families, who lived in the cities throughout the land. There they could teach the Israelites about God’s law.
Forty-eight cities were given to the Levites to live in. And the fields outside the walls of these cities were given to them for pasture-lands. Then while the other Israelites lived in the country round about, the Levites were always near to remind them of the law that God gave to Moses.
And God told Joshua to choose six cities to be called “cities of refuge.” By “cities of refuge” he meant that any person who had killed some one by accident might run to these cities and be safe. The Israelites had always believed it was right for the relatives of the dead man to kill the slayer, even though that person had not meant to do the wrong deed. But God’s plan was to punish wrong-doers only when such persons did wrong on purpose.
The cities of refuge stood on high hills, and could be seen from a distance. When once a man who was running for his life should reach the gate of such a city he would be safe. The gate-keeper would let him pass in, but would not allow the man following him to enter. Then the slayer would be questioned; and if it were found out that he had purposely killed another he would be taken outside the city and given to those who were trying to take his life. But if he had done the wrong deed accidently, then he would be kept safely inside the gate. This was the rule of the cities of refuge.