Numbers 35:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As it is written: "And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan against Jericho, saying, Command the children of Israel, that out of the inheritance of their possessions they shall give the Levites cities to dwell in, and the fields by the cities on every side shall be given to the Levites: The cities shall be for their habitation, and the fields shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their necessities of life: and the fields of the cities, which ye shall give to the Levites, shall extend two thousand cubits from the wall of the city, in every direction: and ye shall measure out beyond 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, and in the midst of the city: such shall be their fields of the cities. Of the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, there shall be six cities for refuge, into which ye shall let the murderer flee" (Num. 35:1-6).

It is permissible for the saints, even while on this earth, to possess what is necessary for sustaining life and fulfilling the essential needs of the body, because "Having sustenance," it is stated, "and clothing, let us be satisfied with those things" (1 Tim. 6:8). Moreover, excess can be detrimental (1 Tim. 1:8). Thus, the cities and their dwellings, along with the fields surrounding them, were designated for the holy servants and measured out accordingly. God intended that, on one hand, they would not be weakened by indulgence due to receiving more than what was essential, while on the other hand, He did not desire to impose harsh restrictions that could lead to severe oppression. His goal was to alleviaite significant scarcity appropriately and to lift burdens; thus, He balanced satisfaction with necessity. God also instructed that cities of refuge be allocated to the Levites, placing in their care those who are most distressed and in dire need of assistance. In this, I believe there is a profound image for the churches to care for those who are imprisoned, for it is written: "Remember the prisoners, as though ye were in bonds with them, and them that are afflicted, as though ye yourselves were in the body" (Hebrews 13:3).

Hence, these unwitting killers, albeit inadvertently, became executors of justice even while administering a punishment that was certainly deserved. The lawgiver affirms this by stating, “But if he will not, God will deliver him into his hand.” Therefore, if God has allowed a person to face punishment, can we not view the unwitting murderer as an agent of justice? Though he may seem tarnished, his heart remains untainted.

But you may ask, why does the law require him to flee? It is not because of the act of murder itself; otherwise, it would have exiled him entirely from the promised land. Rather, it is to prevent him from being executed without due process by the family of the victim, particularly when emotions can disrupt rational judgment and hinder thorough investigation. Nonetheless, the law does not abandon him in his exile. Instead, it provides him with a sanctuary for as long as he remains in flight, correlating his life to that of the high priest; upon the priest’s death, the murderer is permitted to leave his refuge and return to his homeland.