The Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: establish the cities of refuge of which I spoke to you through Moses, so that he who has killed unintentionally may find refuge there, and so escape the wrath of the next of kin, the avenger of blood. "Cf. Joshua 20:1-9 and Exodus 21:12-13. See Bible excerpts below.
It goes on to say: "And the elders of the city shall not deliver the innocent into the hands of him who seeks to kill him, but shall receive him and allow him to dwell there, and he shall remain there until the judgment and until the death of the high priest then in office; after which he may return to his city and to his house. "Cf. Joshua 20:1-9 and Num 35:25-28. See below.
In this law, merciful love for one's neighbor is observed and organized. This is the law of the cities of refuge, as well as the law of the Levitical cities.
Cities of refuge: This law, to which the preceding quotation refers (Joshua 20:1-6), concerns the cities of refuge, which served as asylums for manslaughterers. They were thus exempt from the law of vengeance (which Jude will mention in the last lines in EMV 566.8, perhaps referring to Genesis 9:6 and certain passages we recall below). These cities of refuge were six in number, including Hebron (as here) and Kedesh (as in EMV 342.1.2.7.9).
Levitical cities: These were among the 48 Levitical cities, where the Levites lived. See the biblical excerpt below, in the Book of Joshua, chapter 21.
Prescriptions relating to both can be found in Exodus 21:12-13 | Numbers 35 | Deuteronomy 4:41-43 | Deuteronomy 19:1-13 | Joshua 20-21. See Bible excerpts below.
In Jeremiah's letter to the exiles, we read, among other things, the following. Letter from Jeremiah 1:1-72 (sometimes inserted in Baruch 6). The biblical excerpt has been provided below.
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Book of Joshua 20, 1-9 (cities of refuge)
Joshua 20, 1-9: Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: 'As I commanded you through Moses, appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, where the murderer who has killed someone by mistake, without knowing it, may flee, and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. The murderer will flee to one of these cities; he will stop at the entrance of the city gate, and expose his case to the elders of that city; they will take him in with them in the city, and give him a home to live with them. If the avenger of blood pursues him, they will not deliver the murderer into his hands, for he has unknowingly killed his neighbor, whom he did not hate before. The murderer will remain in this city until he appears before the assembly to be judged, until the death of the high priest who will be in office in those days. Then the murderer will turn and return to his city and his house, to the city from which he fled."
They consecrated Cedes in Gallilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Cariath-arbe, which is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah. On the other side of Jordan, opposite Jericho to the east, they designated Bosor, in the desert, in the plain, a city of the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, of the tribe of Gad, and Gaulon in Bashan, of the tribe of Manasseh. These were the cities assigned to all the children of Israel and to the stranger who sojourned among them, so that whoever had killed anyone by mistake might take refuge there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, before appearing before the assembly.
Book of Numbers 35, 25-28
Num 35:25-28 : And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the avenger of blood, and cause him to return to the city of refuge where he fled; and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. If the murderer leaves before that time the territory of the city of refuge where he fled, and the avenger of blood meets him outside the territory of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the murderer, he will not be guilty of murder; for the murderer must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; and, after the death of the high priest, the murderer may return to the land where his possession is.
Book of Exodus 21, 12-13
Ex 21, 12-13 : Whoever strikes a man dead must be put to death. But if he has not laid a snare for him, and God has presented him to his hand, I will appoint a place for him to take refuge in.
Deuteronomy 4, 41-43
Dt 4, 41-43 : Then Moses set apart three cities on the other side of the Jordan, to the east, so that they might serve as a refuge for a murderer who had inadvertently killed his neighbor, without having previously been his enemy, and that by taking refuge in one of these cities he might save his life. These were: Bosor, in the desert, in the plain, for the Reubenites; Ramoth, in Gilead, for the Gadites, and Golan, in Bashan for the Manassites.
Deuteronomy 19, 1-13
Deut 19, 1-13: When Yahweh your God has cut off the nations whose land Yahweh your God is giving you, and you have driven them out and are living in their towns and houses, then you shall separate three towns in the middle of the land Yahweh your God is giving you to possess. You shall repair the roads leading to them, and divide the territory of the land that Yahweh, your God, is giving you as an inheritance into three parts, so that every murderer may flee to these cities. This is the case in which the murderer who takes refuge there will have his life saved: if he has inadvertently killed his neighbor, without having previously been his enemy. For example, a man goes to cut wood in the forest with another man; his hand raises the axe to fell a tree; the iron escapes from the handle, hits his companion and kills him: this man will flee to one of these cities and his life will be saved. Otherwise, the avenger of blood, pursuing the murderer in the ardor of his anger, would reach him, if the path were too long, and deal him a mortal blow; and yet this man would not have deserved death, since he had no previous hatred against the victim. Therefore I command you: Set apart three cities. And if Yahweh, your God, enlarges your borders, as he swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land he promised your fathers to give you, - provided you observe and do all these commandments I command you today, loving Yahweh, your God, and always walking in His ways, - you shall add three more cities to these three, so that innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of the land Yahweh, your God, is giving you for an inheritance, and that there will be no blood on you. But if a man hates his neighbor, and ambushes him and strikes him dead, and then flees to one of these cities, the elders of his city shall send and seize him, and deliver him into the hands of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Thine eye shall have no pity on him, and thou shalt take away innocent blood from Israel, and thou shalt prosper.
Book of Joshua 21, 1-43 (Levitical cities)
Joshua 21:1-43: The heads of the families of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of the children of Israel, and spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Chanaan, saying, "Yahweh has commanded by Moses that cities be given to us for our habitation, and their suburbs for our livestock." The children of Israel gave the Levites, out of their inheritance, according to Yahweh's command, the following cities and their suburbs.
The lot was cast first for the families of the Caathites; and the sons of Aaron the priest, from among the Levites, obtained by lot thirteen cities from the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Simeon and the tribe of Benjamin; the other sons of Caath obtained by lot ten cities from the families of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The sons of Gerson obtained by lot thirteen cities from the families of the tribe of Issachar, the tribe of Asher, the tribe of Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. The sons of Merari, according to their families, obtained twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the tribe of Zebulun. The children of Israel gave these cities and their suburbs to the Levites by lot, as Yahweh had commanded by Moses.
From the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon, they gave the following cities by name; these were for the sons of Aaron, from among the families of the Caathites, from among the sons of Levi, for the lot was cast for them first. They gave them, in the hill country of Judah, the city of Arbé, father of Enac, which is Hebron, and its suburbs all around. But the countryside around this city and its villages they gave for possession to Caleb son of Jephone. To the sons of Aaron the priest they gave the city of refuge for the murderer, Hebron with its suburbs, and Lebna with its suburbs, Jether with its suburbs, Estemo with its suburbs, Holon with its suburbs, Dabir with its suburbs, Ain with its suburbs, Jeta with its suburbs, Bethsames with its suburbs: nine cities of these two tribes. From the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon with its suburbs, Gibeba with its suburbs, Anathoth with its suburbs, Almon with its suburbs: four towns. Total cities of the priests, sons of Aaron: thirteen cities and their suburbs.
As for the families of the sons of Caath, Levites, and the other sons of Caath, the cities that fell to them by lot were from the tribe of Ephraim. The children of Israel gave them the city of refuge for the murderer, Shechem and its suburbs, in the hill country of Ephraim, as well as Gazer and its suburbs, Cibsaim and its suburbs, Beth-Horon and its suburbs: four cities. From the tribe of Dan: Eltheco with its suburbs, Gabathon with its suburbs, Aijalon with its suburbs, Geth-Remmon with its suburbs: four towns. Of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Thanah with its suburbs, and Geth-Remmon with its suburbs: two towns. Total: ten towns with their suburbs, for the families of the other sons of Caath.
To the sons of Gerson, from among the families of the Levites, they gave, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, the city of refuge for the murderer, Gaulon in Bashan and its suburbs, and Bosra and its suburbs: two cities. From the tribe of Issachar: Cohesion and its suburbs, Dabereth and its suburbs, Jaramoth and its suburbs, En-Gannim and its suburbs: four towns. From the tribe of Asher: Masal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs, Helcath with its suburbs, Rohob with its suburbs: four towns. From the tribe of Naphtali: the city of refuge for the murderer, Cedes in Galilee and its suburbs, as well as Hamoth-Dor and its suburbs, Carthan and its suburbs: three cities. Total cities of the Gersonites, according to their families: thirteen cities and their suburbs. To the families of the sons of Merari, to the rest of the Levites, they gave, of the tribe of Zebulun: Jecnam and its suburbs, Cartha and its suburbs, Damna and its suburbs, Naalol and its suburbs: four cities And of the tribe of Reuben, Bosor and its suburbs, Jassa and its suburbs, Cedemoth and its suburbs, Mephaath and its suburbs: four cities. And from the tribe of Gad: the city of refuge for the murderer, Ramoth in Gilead and its suburbs, as well as Manaim and its suburbs, Heshbon and its suburbs, Jaser and its suburbs: in all four cities. Total of the cities assigned by lot to the sons of Merari, according to their families, forming the rest of the families of the Levites: twelve cities.
Total cities of the Levites in the midst of the possessions of the children of Israel: forty-eight cities and their suburbs. Each of these cities had its suburbs all around; so it was with all these cities. So Yahweh gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their fathers; they took possession of it and settled there. Yahweh gave them rest all around them, as he had sworn to their fathers; none of their enemies could resist them, and Yahweh delivered them all into their hands. Of all the good words that Yahweh had spoken to the house of Israel, not one remained without effect; all were fulfilled.
Jeremiah 1:1-72 (sometimes transposed in Baruch 6:1-72) - On idols
Jer 1, 1-72 | Ba 6, 1-72 : Copy of the letter Jeremiah sent to those who were about to be taken captive to Babylon by the king of the Babylonians, to tell them what God had commanded them to say. Because of the sins you have committed before God, you are to be taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonians. So when you get to Babylon, you will stay there for many years and a long time, up to seven generations; and after that I will bring you out in peace. Now you will see in Babylon gods of silver, gold and wood, which are carried on the shoulders and inspire fear in the nations. Take heed, then, that you too do not imitate these foreigners and allow yourselves to be seized by the fear of these gods. When you see crowds of people thronging before and behind them, and paying them homage, say in your heart, "It is you, Master, who must be worshipped." For my angel is with you, and cares for your life.
For the tongue of these gods has been polished by a workman; it is overlaid with gold and silver, but they are only lies, and cannot speak. As for a girl who loves finery, gold has been taken, and crowns have been prepared to place on the heads of these gods. The priests go so far as to steal gold and silver from their gods, and use it for their own purposes; they even give it to the prostitutes in their houses. They adorn them with rich garments, like men, these gods of silver, gold and wood; but these can defend themselves neither from rust nor from worms. When they have been clothed in purple garments, they still have to wipe their faces, because the dust of the house covers them with a thick layer. Here's one holding a scepter, like a provincial governor: he won't kill anyone who offends him. This other carries a sword or an axe in his hand, but he cannot defend himself against the enemy or thieves. It is clear that these are not gods, so do not fear them.
As a man's vessel, when broken, becomes useless: so are their gods. If you place them in a house, their eyes fill with the dust of the feet of those who enter. Just as prison doors are carefully closed on a man who has offended the king, or on a man about to be led to his death, so the priests defend the dwelling of their gods with strong doors, with locks and bolts, lest they be robbed by thieves. They light lamps, and even more of them than for themselves, and these gods can see none. They are like one of the beams of the house, and it is said that their hearts are eaten away by the vermin that comes out of the ground, and devours them and their clothes, without their feeling it. Their faces turn black with the smoke that rises from the house. On their bodies and heads flutter the owls, swallows and other birds; and similarly frolic the cats themselves. By this you will know that they are not gods, so do not fear them.
The gold with which they are covered to embellish them, if someone does not remove the rust, they will not make it shine; for they did not even feel anything when they were melted down. These idols were bought at the highest price, and there is no breath of life in them. Having no feet, they are carried on shoulders, showing men their shameful impotence. May those who serve them be confused with them! If they fall to the ground, they won't get up of their own accord; and if someone puts them upright, they won't set themselves in motion; and if they lean, they won't straighten. It is as if offerings were placed before the dead. The priests sell the victims offered to them and make a profit from them; their wives salt them and give nothing to the poor or infirm. Women in childbirth or in an impure state touch their sacrifices. Knowing therefore from these things that they are not gods, do not fear them.
And why call them gods? For it is women who come to bring their offerings to these gods of silver, gold and wood. And in their temples the priests sit, their tunics torn, their heads and faces shaven, and their heads uncovered. They roar and shout before their gods, as if at a funeral feast. Their priests strip them of their garments, and they clothe their wives and children in them. Whether harm or good is done to them, they can give neither back; they are unable to establish a king or overthrow him. Nor can they give wealth, or even a coin. If someone, having made a vow to them, does not fulfill it, they do not claim. They will not save a man from death, nor snatch the weak from the hand of the powerful. They will not restore sight to the blind, nor deliver the distressed. They will not have pity on the widow, nor do good to the orphan. These idols of wood, overlaid with gold and silver, are like rocks cut out of the mountain, and those who serve them will be put to shame. How can we believe or say that they are gods?
The Chaldeans themselves dishonor them, when, seeing a man who cannot speak, they present him to Bel asking that the mute speak, as if the god could hear anything. And though they realize it, they cannot abandon these idols; for they have no feeling. The women, surrounded by a rope, go and sit on the paths, burning coarse flour; and, when one of them, drawn by some passer-by, has slept with him, she reproaches her neighbor for not having been deemed worthy of the same honor, and for not having seen her rush braid broken. Everything that is said about idols is a lie. How then can we believe or say that they are gods?
They have been fashioned by craftsmen and goldsmiths; they cannot be otherwise than the workers want them to be. And the workers who fashioned them don't have long to live: how then could their works be of long duration? They have left nothing but lies and disgrace to posterity. Whether war comes, or some other calamity, the priests deliberate among themselves as to where they will hide with their gods: how then is it not understood that these are not gods, who cannot save themselves from war or some other calamity?
These idols of wood, overlaid with gold and silver, will later be recognized as lies; for all nations and kings it will be obvious that they are not gods, but works of men's hands, and that there is no divine work in them. To whom, then, would it not be obvious that they are not gods?
They will never establish a king over a land, nor give rain to men. They will not know how to judge their own affairs, nor will they protect against injustice, since they can do nothing, like crows that stand between heaven and your earth. And when the fire falls on the house of these wooden gods, overlaid with gold and silver, their priests will flee and be saved; but they will be consumed like beams in the midst of the flames. They will resist neither a king nor an enemy army. How can we admit or think that they are gods?
They will not escape thieves and robbers, these gods of wood, covered in silver and gold. Men more powerful than them will take away the silver and gold, and walk away with the rich clothes with which they've been covered, and these gods won't be able to help themselves. So it is better to be a king displaying his strength, or a useful vessel in the house, which the master uses, than to be these false gods; or a door to a house, guarding what is there, than to be these false gods; or a wooden pillar in a king's house, than to be these false gods. The sun, the light and the stars, which are bright and sent for the benefit of men, obey God. Likewise the lightning, when it appears, is beautiful to behold; the wind also blows over all the land; and the clouds, when God commands them to cover the whole earth, carry out what they are ordered to do. Fire too, when sent from on high to consume the mountains and forests, does as it is commanded. But idols are not comparable, either in beauty or in power, to all these things. We must therefore neither think nor say that they are gods, since they can neither discern what is right, nor do good to men. Knowing therefore that they are not gods, do not fear them.
They cannot curse or bless kings. They don't show the nations signs in the sky; they don't shine like the sun, they don't shine like the moon. Beasts are better than them, since they can flee to find shelter and be useful to themselves. So in no way is it obvious to us that they are gods; so don't fear them.
Just as a scarecrow in a field of cucumbers protects from nothing, so it is with their wooden gods, covered in gold and silver. Just like a thorn bush in a garden, on which all the birds land, or a dead man thrown into a dark place, so are their wooden gods, overlaid with gold and silver. The very purple and scarlet that spoil on them make it clear that they are no gods. They themselves will eventually be devoured and become a disgrace in the land. Better is the righteous man who has no idols; he will not have to fear confusion.