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APRIL 15
The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, Psalm 46:1–6
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20 “Speak to the children of Israel, say- To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of
ing: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.
which I spoke to you through Moses, that the
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slayer who kills a person accidentally or unin- od is our refuge and strength,
tentionally may flee there; and they shall be G A very present help in trouble.
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your refuge from the avenger of blood. And Therefore we will not fear,
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when he flees to one of those cities, and stands Even though the earth be removed,
at the entrance of the gate of the city, and de- And though the mountains be carried
clares his case in the hearing of the elders of into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
that city, they shall take him into the city as
one of them, and give him a place, that he may Though the mountains shake with its
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dwell among them. Then if the avenger of swelling. Selah
blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the 4 There is a river whose streams shall
slayer into his hand, because he struck his make glad the city of God,
neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him The holy place of the tabernacle of the
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beforehand. And he shall dwell in that city un- Most High.
til he stands before the congregation for judg- 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not
ment, and until the death of the one who is be moved;
high priest in those days. Then the slayer may God shall help her, just at the break of
return and come to his own city and his own dawn.
house, to the city from which he fled.’ ” 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were
7 So they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in the moved;
mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the moun- He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
tains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Proverbs 14:7–11
Hebron) in the mountains of Judah. And on
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the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho east- 7 Go from the presence of a foolish man,
ward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness When you do not perceive in him the
on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth lips of knowledge.
in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to
Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. These understand his way,
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were the cities appointed for all the children of But the folly of fools is deceit.
Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among 9 Fools mock at sin,
them, that whoever killed a person accidentally But among the upright there is favor.
might flee there, and not die by the hand of
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
the avenger of blood until he stood before the
congregation. And a stranger does not share its joy.
The house of the wicked will be
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overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
20:1–9 cities of refuge. Moses had spoken
God’s word to name 6 cities in Israel as refuge
centers. A person who inadvertently killed
another could flee to the nearest of these for 14:10 At its depth, suffering and rejoicing are
protection (see Num.35:9–34).Three lay west of personal and private. No one is able to com-
the Jordan,and 3 lay to the east,each reachable municate them fully (1 Sam 1:10; 1 Kin. 8:38;
in a day for those in its area. The slayer could Matt 2:18; 26:39–42,75).
flee there to escape pursuit by a family member
seeking to exact private justice. Authorities at
the refuge protected him and escorted him to Luke 12:32–59
a trial. If found innocent, he was guarded at
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the refuge until the death of the current high “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your
priest, a kind of statute of limitations (Josh. Father’s good pleasure to give you the king-
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20:6). He could then return home. If found dom. Sell what you have and give alms; pro-
guilty of murder,he suffered due punishment. vide yourselves money bags which do not
grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does
not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth

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