In the ancient world, and even described in the Torah, there was a system in place to offer refuge. We're talking about the cities of refuge, places of sanctuary for those who unintentionally took a life.
The book of Numbers instructs us, "You shall designate cities for you" (Numbers 35:13-14). Six cities, specifically: three in the Land of Israel, to the west, and three across the Jordan, to the east. It was a system meticulously planned.
So, where exactly were these havens? Well, as Deuteronomy tells us (4:43), on the eastern side of the Jordan River, there was Betzer for the Reubenites, Ramot in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites. Three havens offering safety.
And in the west? Hebron, nestled in Judah, Shechem in the Ephraim highlands (also known as Neopolis), and Kedesh in the Galilee, part of the tribe of Naphtali.
Now, it's interesting to note how these cities were designated. Moses himself distributed land and designated three cities for Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, as we read in Deuteronomy (4:41). But then Joshua stepped in and gave the tribe of Levi forty-eight cities, thirteen of which went to the priests. Those thirteen cities also had three designated as cities of refuge.
But why did the tribe of Levi not take a portion of land? The answer, as Deuteronomy (18:2) clarifies, is because "the fire offerings of the Lord and His inheritance they shall eat.” Their role was different; their inheritance was spiritual, not territorial.
It's not all sunshine and roses, though. The text in Bamidbar Rabbah reminds us that these tribes faced exile. Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, exiled them in three waves. First, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half of Manasseh. Then, the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, an exile that Isaiah (8:23) describes as “lighter,” affecting fewer tribes. Finally, the rest of the tribes were exiled, a more severe blow described as being "swept away as with a broom."
Bamidbar Rabbah then draws a parallel to Nebuchadnezzar, who also exiled the tribes of Judah and Benjamin in three stages, leading to the Babylonian exile. First, Yehoyakim, then Yehoyakhin, and finally, Zedekiah, exiled by Nevuzaradan, a high official under Nebuchadnezzar.
The text even raises a fascinating point: how do we know Sennacherib ruled the world? Because he moved people around like pieces on a chessboard, exiling Israelites to Babylon and bringing Babylonians to Israel.
But the narrative doesn’t end on a somber note. It shifts to hope, to redemption. Despite the exiles and scattering, the Holy One, blessed be He, promises a future gathering. As Deuteronomy assures us (30:4), “If your banished will be at the ends of the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will take you.” Isaiah echoes this sentiment (11:12), promising that God "will assemble the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”
And what a beautiful image Isaiah paints (35:10): “The redeemed of the Lord will return, and they will come to Zion with song and everlasting joy on their heads; gladness and joy they will attain, and sorrow and sighing will flee.”
So, what does all this tell us? Even in times of exile and displacement, the promise of return, of refuge, remains. It's a testament to resilience, to hope, and to the enduring promise of a brighter future. A future where, no matter how far we're scattered, we will ultimately find our way home.