5). Provision of Cities To Dwell In For the Levites (Numbers 35:1-8).
As is regular in Numbers the regulations for the Levites follow on after the regulations for the people (compare Numbers 1:1-46 with Numbers 1:47-54; Numbers 2 with Numbers 3; Numbers 6:1-21 with Numbers 8:5-22; Numbers 26:1-56 with Numbers 26:57-62).
A mark of the width and depth of the land which would be possessed was now revealed in the requirement to provide forty eight cities for the Levites to dwell in. For them to be able to do this large conquests would have to be made. Thus this confirmed the certainty of the success that would be theirs once they entered the land. Talking about something as though it was already possessed was a huge confidence booster, and expressed full belief in the certainty of the fulfilment of the promises of Yahweh.
It also confirmed Yahweh's provision for their spiritual need. No Israelite would be living far from a Levitical city. There he could seek advice and guidance in respect of the Instruction of Yahweh. Information concerning these cities is found in Joshua 21:1-42.
Analysis.
a Cities to be given for the Levites to dwell in with the suburbs of the cities (the surrounding land) (Numbers 35:1-2).
b The cities are for the Levites to dwell in (Numbers 35:3 a).
c The suburbs are for their beasts to dwell in (Numbers 35:3 b).
c The suburbs of the cities defined (Numbers 35:4-5).
b The cities of the Levites defined (Numbers 35:6-7).
a How the cities to be given to the Levites are to be selected (Numbers 35:8).
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,'
Note the usual statement concerning Yahweh's words to Moses, but reinforced by an identification of the place where the revelation was given. This reads very much like a genuine contemporary statement. Standing there on the verge of the Jordan ready for entry into the land final instructions were being given. Nothing was more important for their true survival as a covenant people than the presence among them of those whose lives were devoted to looking after the interests of Yahweh. This would enable the land to be kept pure, and was now to be provided for.
Cities To Be Given to the Levites, Along with the Suburbs of the Cities (the surrounding land).
“ Command the children of Israel, that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall you give to the Levites.”
Out of their inheritance that they would soon possess the children of Israel were to give ‘cities to dwell in' to the Levites. Surrounding land was also to be given to them. Note the change to the personal ‘you' (ye). This may simply be in order to distinguish the ‘they' now used of the Levites. Or it may be in order to bring home to the children of Israel the personal aspect of their gift to the Levites. All were involved, and all must give as unto Yahweh.
“ And the cities they shall have to dwell in, and their suburbs, shall be for their cattle, and for their substance, and for all their beasts.”
The cities themselves were to be for the Levites to inhabit, and the surrounding land for their cattle and other animals.
“The cities they shall have to dwell in.” The Levites were not to be given the whole cities for their own possession but to have sufficient space allotted so that they would be able to build (or restore captured houses) for them to dwell in. They were to receive as many houses as were needed for their requirements, and these would become their hereditary possession, which, if sold, could be redeemed, and which reverted to them without compensation in the year of Yubile, if not redeemed before then (Leviticus 25:32-33). The remainder of each such city was then available for other Israelites to dwell in once they had restored or erected their own houses.
“ And the suburbs of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. And you shall measure without the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.”
The size of the surrounding land which was to belong to the Levites was not to be left to chance but was clearly delineated. The land was to stretch 1000 cubits (450 metres, just over a quarter of a mile) in each direction, measuring from the boundaries of the cities, north, south, east and west, thus making an area of somewhat over 2000 square cubits, taking the area of the city into account. Each ‘side' would have a 2000 cubit border, making a square around the city just over 2000 cubits in length and width. Some have related this to the 2000 cubits to be allowed around the Ark at the crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 3:4), but this is doubtful. The cities did not have the holiness of the Ark. On the other hand it is probably intended to signify that these Levitical cities were ‘special'. There was, however, no limit to access, except probably to the avenger of blood when it was a city of refuge (Numbers 35:19; Numbers 35:26-27). This land was to belong to the Levites in perpetuity. It could not be sold for it was Yahweh's (Leviticus 25:23).
The figures were of course symbolic and approximate. They indicated the divine nature of the gift (the ‘thousand' was the highest symbolical number). The size of the ‘city' wall to wall would determine exactly how far they stretched.
The ‘cities' would themselves not be overlarge. The forty eight cities would house the 22/23 Levite clans, although not being limited to them, and would indeed house a good number of ‘innocent manslayers' for many years. The surrounding land was also not large. It would feed a minimum level of cattle and grow a minimal amount of food, possibly sufficient for survival in bad times. But while the Levites could personally own their houses (taken over or built by their own hands) they would not personally own land. The land was to be group land. Their possessions were communal. They had no individual personal inheritance in land. Yahweh was their inheritance.
We are not told how the manslayers were catered for. Perhaps their families would provision them, and their nearer family would presumably move with them into the city of refuge and rent nearby land. But once they became ‘needy' they would have a right to receive from the common pool for the needy (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) and take advantage of similar provisions (Leviticus 19:9; Leviticus 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-21).
“ And the cities which you shall give to the Levites, will be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to: and besides them you shall give forty and two cities.”
Of the cities given to the Levites six were to be cities of refuge, a concept dealt with in what follows. The number six (3x2) indicated completeness of provision. These were for ‘innocent' manslayers to flee to. There were to be three each side of the Jordan. The remaining forty two cities were simply for the housing of the Levite families so that by living among the people they could properly carry out their functions of teaching, guiding, and collecting and storing tithes. For any of the people who might desire clarification on a matter to do with the Instruction (Law), help was always available there.
The six cities of refuge actually appointed were Bezer, Ramoth-gilead and Golan in Transjordan and Hebron of Judah, Shechem of Ephraim and Kadesh of Galilee in Canaan proper (Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:7-8; Joshua 21:13; Joshua 21:21; Joshua 21:27; Joshua 21:32; Joshua 21:36; Joshua 21:38). It will be noted that these were dispersed throughout both areas. Deuteronomy 19:1-6 describes it in terms of splitting Canaan into three parts and appointing a city in each. The cities had to be reachable from anywhere in Canaan, ‘lest the avenger of blood pursue the (innocent) manslayer while his heart is hot, and overtake him because the way is long, and smite him mortally, whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he did not hate him (his victim) in time past.'
“ All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities; them shall you give with their suburbs.”
So the total cities given to the Levites to dwell in, along with their surrounding land for 1000 cubits every way, were forty eight. This was twelve times four. The twelve indicated the twelve tribes whom they would serve. The four stressed the ‘universal' nature of Yahweh's provision, just as four rivers went out from Eden to the whole world, the four winds came from every part of heaven, and north, south, east and west stretch out to the four furthest parts (corners) of the earth. The basic idea was that the spiritual needs of Israel were being fully catered for.
“ And concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many; and from the few you shall take few: every one according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give of his cities to the Levites.”
The cities were to be given in accordance with the size of tribal possession. Thus the larger tribes provided more, and the smaller tribes less. But all were to give something from their inheritance to the Levites, a kind of firstfruits of land. It was for Yahweh's possession so that Yahweh's servants might live among them and ensure the keeping of His Instruction (Torah), and, in the case of the cities of refuge, especially for the prevention of the defilement of the land as a result of the shedding of blood.
According to Joshua 21, the Levites received nine cities in the territory of Judah and Simeon, and four in the territory of each of the other tribes, with the exception of Naphtali, in which there were only three. Thus there were ten in Transjordan, and thirty-eight in Canaan proper. Of these the thirteen given up by Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin were available to the wider families of the priests, while the remaining thirty five were available to the three Levitical families. It will be quite apparent thaut the priests' families would be scattered fairly thinly, at least to begin with, but provision was also being made for the future.