The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-01
SUNDAY-SCHOOL
LESSON FOR NOV. 2
THE CITIES OF REFUGE.
JOSH, xx:1-9.
Secretary of American Society OF Re-
ligious Education.

Judah were fixed. Ephraim and the hal
tribe Of Mannasseh were located mex
GOSH, xvi and xviD. The congregation
then removed from Gilgal to Shiloh, ,wher,
the tabernacle was set up (Josh., xviii:D
The remainder of the land was divided
INTO seven parts unto the supervision o
a commission of three from each trib,
Josh, xviii:S), and the assignment wal
made by lot in this order-tO Benjamin
Simeon, Iebulon, Issachar, Asher. Naph
thai and Dan. When all this was ac
complished Joshua selected for his posses
sion the city of Timnath-Serah, in Noun
Ephraim, within the bounds of his owr
tribe (Josh., xiX:50,. There he established
his home, and there some seventeen years
alter, he died and was buried Josh.
NNiv:20). The division of the land hav.
ing been completed, so that all the tribes
Knew their appointed dwelling places. at.
tentiOn was directed to civil regulations
designed for the general good These
were adjusted before the separation that
there might be common modes Of justice
DlNINE.-.ln this task nothing new was
attempted There was no call for n leg
islatire body to make laws. Doubtless
there could have been assembled out OF
all the tribes good and wise men worthy
OF confidence. who would have been able
TO define human relations and duties in Il
series of statutes. And It is probable
that the people would have accepted the
dcliveranccs of such n body. But the
government of Israel did not derive its
powers from the consent of the gov
erned." God had set these people apart
for himself psalm. xxXii:12,. He pro-
posed not only TO construct their relis
lous institutions but also to regulate
their political affairs. 1t was to be Il
divine In ip,,
to every other Dcut.. N:S,. and in some
particulars model for after times. but
above all other considerations IL was to
be adapted to the future of Gods people.
Hence at the foot of Sinai. the general
features of the Hebrew commonwcni th
were made known to Moses tEX.. xxi:D.
and by him reduced to writing. Having
entered the promised land. II only re-
manned for the people To learn and apply
what Moses had written Deut. vi:G,.
llOMlCIDE.-The first thing ordered TO
be done was in the interest OF human
NE. always matter of primary import
hnc" in civil society. AS in the Ameri-
ran declala ton the right to live is men
Toned before every other right SO in
The decalogue the first offense against
man is the taking of life G;X.. XX:l.D.
At the time of the settlement there was
For more than forty years the IsraenteS
bad been under military rule accustomed
10 scenes of blood. How they would sep
irate and enter into the pursuits of
)eac". There would be greater prOvOra-
ion and less restraint. Individual. inter
'stS would be subordinate to the spirit
II unity. cooperation and mutual for
'carancc. Life might ne put in jeopardy
II two ways-hy the Intentional malicious
.l ,f t,.,,
ormer had been the subject of legislation
|'he murderer found no mercy in the
ode of Moses. Following the covenant
# Noah Nien.. iN:'5. he must he put to
'eath I.eV.. NNiv:li). but only after trial
Num-. XNNiv::hN. The Intentional homi-
de might even be taken from the altar
En-. XXi:lD. III. land polluted. could
'e cleanscd only by the blood of the
layer tNum.. NNXv:: ::D
\NENGER.--A custom prcvaiIin: in the
rientnl world. rendered legislation nee
Ssary in behalf of accidental killing. Be-
on" the Mosaic era the nearest of kin
must aN"ngc the death of II slain rcli-
we, This practice. still common among
.rahS. may have grown u'It of the broth
rlE spirit. or il may have been inferred
rom laws diNinely imposed Ucn.. iX:5l.
making every man tn" keeper of his rcI-
NV Wf"n.. iN:N While allOwHhlc alI
uitable undrr Il Simpl" form OF society
Ike the pailiarchnl. this mode of rctrbu-
ion could not he permitted without re-
traint in II state of advanced civIiZa-
ion. TIL" spirit of revenge must be
urbrd. on many innocent persons may
uffer TO effect this six cities were an
ointcd as a$ylUms to the Involuntary
layer. This regulation had been antici-
oted very early in IN" history of the
hoScn people Gen, EXi:'.D. and mentioned |
'pcatodlN tNum.. XXNv:ll: Dout.. Nix |
. 1t WAS one of the matters to be ad-
lSted by Joshua. which had been en-
lined in the writings of Moses. named |
cfor", but arranged after the conquest.
WESTERN.-'Ihree of These cities were |
II III" west of Jordan. kadcsh was To- |
It"d in tn" extreme north. about twenty |
We miles in II direct line fro mthc seu of /
allie" tJudScs, iV:lOl. its king is named |
mong the thirty-nne ,Josh.. Nii:..l. sub |
ned by Joshua. Shechrm WAS in the CEN
M part in Mount iIphraim. This was il !
cry ancient tcwn. receiving its name he |
ne IN" time of Jacob Gen. xXXiv:2).
was the place of final assemblagc, |
hen Joshua blessed Israel ,JoSh.. XXiv:n. |
afterward became noted i'm the national |
lnals ,Ju1ges. IND. There Rchoboam |
as made king e. Chron., N:D. Kiriath-
rba. in TIE tribe of Judah, was in the
III country of the south. also "A very old
'wn lNum.. Xiii:22l, deriving it's name
ON great man among the Anakms,
osh., Niv:15), Afterward ii was called
ebron, from one of the sons of Kohath
Chron,, vi:@. There Abram lived IGen.,
i:lS), ana Sarah died (Gen., XXii:D.
here David reigned for seven years (lI |
am, ii:D. These three cities-K adesh.
lechem and Hebron, divided the west
'rdan country into nearly equal districts.
three cities east of the
'rdan had been named by Moses while
rael was encamped ON that side of the
rer Deut,. iv:4l-i3l. Joshuas part there
re, consisting in reaflrming what Moses
I'd done, There was one city in each
the three eastern tribes. Rezir was
in the tribe of Reuben, 1t |
as situated on the plain of Moab east
the middle of the Dead Sea, about ten
lies distant from that body of water.
lmoth was i'm Mount Gilead. in the
ibe of Cad, adjoining Reuben on the
'rth THE city was about fifteen miles
ON the Jordan, nearly opposite Shec-
I'M, Gilead was the objective point in
cob's flight oGcn., NXNi:2D, the scene Of
any important events UI Chron., Xviii
J, famed for It's spices and ointmentS
lem, NNNyli:2D and der, Vil:22). Golan
Bashan was in ManasSeh, IA mountain
IS region psalm, lNvii:l5l, thhty-five
Hes distant from the sea of Galilee, The
inquest of this place by Moses CNum.,
i:33), was regarded as one OF the most
table events in his military career, and
rs afterward celebrated i'm sacred song
salm, cNXNvi:20l. Bezer. Ramoth and
'lan We're all conspicuous towns.
These six cities We're un-
+ the special care of the Levites iNum.,
MID, which fact increased their value
! the purposes named. When a man
cidentally killed another he must leave
and flee thither. The greatest dis
nee from any point of the land would
I exceed Atty miles and that might be
vered in half day, or in less time by :
strong man. fleet of foot 10 facilitate | !