The Cities of Refuge were six cities allocated to the Levite tribe in the Old Testament that provided asylum for perpetrators of unintentional manslaughter. Divinely appointed and subject to Mosaic Law, the cities offered offenders refuge and protection from retribution of the avenging family until their case went to trial.

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The Origin of the Cities of Refuge

The establishment of the Cities of Refuge originated during the territorial distribution of the Promised Land of Canaan amongst the 12 tribes of Israel.

The Levites were the only tribe who had been appointed by God to serve Him as His priests. They were also divinely assigned as the caretakers and overseers of the tabernacle, its rites, and its furnishings (Numbers 18). As God had declared these duties to be their inheritance, the Levites were not allocated territories (Numbers 18:20), (Deuteronomy 18:1-2).

Nevertheless, the entire nation was responsible for the subsistence of the Levites. This meant that the remaining 11 tribes were required to appropriate a total of 48 cities and pasture lands for the Levites to use for dwelling and living purposes (Numbers 35:1-5). Of these cities, six were designated as the Cities of Refuge (Joshua 20:7-8).

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Not only did the Levites establish and maintain these cities, they also presided as the judicial authorities over them. Thus, God also intended the Levites to be teachers of His laws (Deuteronomy 33:10). As mediators between the Israelites and God, the Levities were gifted in their ability to parley between the offender and the family of the victim in order to prevent further bloodshed.

Names and Tribal Territories of the Cities of Refuge

The following are the names of the six Cities of Refuge as well as the tribal territories they were found in:

– Kadesh– in Naphtali
– Shechem– in West Manasseh
– Hebron– in Judah
– Golan– in East Manasseh
– Ramoth – Gilead in Gad
– Bezer– in Rueben

Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates

Revelation 9:¹³ Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns (powers) of the golden altar which is before God, (Redemption?)

Zechariah Chapter 1

Four Horns of the Altar are four nations that scattered Judah.

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