In chapter 20 we read about the cities of refuge. These were places that those who had accidentally killed someone could flee and be protected from those who would take revenge on them before a trial had taken place. As the commentator Matthew Henry put it, these were people who were guilty by hand, but not of heart.

If, after a trial, it was shown that the killing was an accident and not a crime of hate or jealousy or rage, then the person would be allowed to stay in that city, and that city only.

It’s interesting to note a few facts about these cities of refuge: all were Levite cities; these places of refuge pointed toward the refuge that we have in Jesus; they were distributed around the country so that one of them was always within a half day’s journey from anywhere in the country; all the cities were on hills so that they could be seen from a distance, so that if a person were fleeing to one, they could keep their eyes on that place, as we do with Christ.

Reminds me of the old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.