Numbers 35:6-15: a reflection

6“The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the man slayer to flee to. Besides them you shall give forty-two cities. 7All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities together with their pasture lands. 8Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many, and from the few you shall take few. Everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give some of his cities to the Levites.” 9The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11then you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there. 12The cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. 13The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge. 14You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and you shall give three cities in the land of Canaan. They shall be cities of refuge. 15These six cities shall be refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreigner living among them, that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

In providing cities of refuge, God shows a striking combination of justice and mercy. For the one who kills another unintentionally, without malice, God appoints cities to which he may flee, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. The cities of refuge protected such a person from the avenger's unmeasured vengeance, giving him a place of safety and a fair hearing before any judgment. God did not leave the one who had caused a death without intending it to be cut down in hot blood; he provided a refuge and a fair process, tempering justice with mercy.

Notice the mercy woven into the justice: a refuge and a fair hearing before condemnation. The one who had caused a death, even unintentionally, was in danger from the avenger, who might strike in unmeasured vengeance; but God provided cities of refuge where he could flee for safety, and required that he stand before the congregation for judgment rather than be cut down without a hearing. Justice was not abandoned, a hearing would be held, guilt determined; but mercy was woven in, protecting from unmeasured vengeance, ensuring a fair process. God's justice was not the hot-blooded vengeance of the avenger, but a measured justice tempered with the mercy of refuge and a fair hearing.

That is worth taking to heart, for God's justice is tempered with mercy, providing refuge and a fair hearing rather than unmeasured vengeance. We can be quick to unmeasured retribution when we are wronged or when we judge others, striking in hot blood without a fair hearing; but God provided cities of refuge, tempering justice with mercy, protecting even the guilty from unmeasured vengeance until the truth was known. God's justice does not act in hot-blooded retribution, but with mercy and a fair hearing; and we do well to reflect that in how we treat others. Do not act in unmeasured, hot-blooded retribution when wronged; temper justice with mercy, providing a fair hearing, as God provided cities of refuge. Reflect God's justice, which is tempered with mercy and a fair hearing rather than unmeasured vengeance, as he provided cities of refuge to protect from the avenger until judgment was made; for God's justice is not hot-blooded retribution but is woven with mercy, and we do well to temper our own judgments with the mercy and fairness he shows.

Lord, in providing cities of refuge, you show a striking combination of justice and mercy. For the one who kills another unintentionally, without malice, you appoint cities to which he may flee, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. The cities of refuge protected such a person from the avenger's unmeasured vengeance, giving him a place of safety and a fair hearing before any judgment. You did not leave the one who had caused a death without intending it to be cut down in hot blood; you provided a refuge and a fair process. Show me the mercy woven into the justice: a refuge and a fair hearing before condemnation. The one who had caused a death, even unintentionally, was in danger from the avenger; but you provided cities of refuge where he could flee for safety, and required that he stand before the congregation for judgment rather than be cut down without a hearing. Justice was not abandoned; but mercy was woven in. Your justice was not the hot-blooded vengeance of the avenger, but a measured justice tempered with mercy. Take that to my heart, for your justice is tempered with mercy. I can be quick to unmeasured retribution when I am wronged or when I judge others, striking in hot blood without a fair hearing; but you provided cities of refuge, tempering justice with mercy. Your justice does not act in hot-blooded retribution, but with mercy and a fair hearing. Keep me from acting in unmeasured, hot-blooded retribution when wronged; help me temper justice with mercy, Lord, providing a fair hearing, as you provided cities of refuge to protect from the avenger until judgment was made.