Day 069- The Bible Recap

The LORD told Moses to give the Levites cities and pasturelands around the cities since they had been excluded from inheriting land.

The cities the Levites received (all six of them) were also to be used as refuge cities. If someone accidentally killed another (manslayer) they could flee there to escape possible vengeance from family and friends of the slain. I'm assuming this is where our term manslaughter came from.

The cities most definitely did not protect those who killed with intent. When it came to murder the LORD was very clear, "You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in, except by the blood of the one who shed it." 35:33 And defiling the land, would be like attempting to defile the LORD because He dwelled with them.

Since the price for murder was death there had to be two witnesses to account for the act, protecting those who were innocent and falsely accused.

As we end Numbers, the sisters mentioned back in chapter 27 were brought up again. A concern arose that if they were to marry outside of their tribe then land ownership would shift. The LORD was very specific when he set up their territories...it was a means of protection. So it was determined that the sisters must marry within their tribe and they obeyed the LORD.