‘ And he shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city and declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, and they shall take him into the city to them, and give him a place, that he might dwell among them.'
The man seeking refuge would come to the gate of the city. It was in the square just inside the gate that all official public activity took place for it was the public meeting place. There the elders of the city would hear his case, and if they were satisfied that the man appeared innocent of deliberate murder, they would allow him in to take refuge there, and provide somewhere for him to live. It would appear that houses were assigned in such cities for such occasions.
The ‘elders of the city' were the ruling men of the city who were also responsible for justice. They were usually, although not always, older men. They were always men of recognised status.
“They shall take him into the city to them.” The verb is used of a wife being taken into a home (2 Samuel 11:27), and a forsaken child being taken in by God (Psalms 27:10). It contains an element of welcome and protection.