2
你吩咐以色列人说：你们要照着我藉摩西所晓谕你们的，为自己设立逃城，
3
使那无心而误杀人的，可以逃到那里。这些城可以作你们逃避报血仇人的地方。
4
那杀人的要逃到这些城中的一座城，站在城门口，将他的事情说给城内的长老们听。他们就把他收进城里，给他地方，使他住在他们中间。
5
若是报血仇的追了他来，长老不可将他交在报血仇的手里；因为他是素无仇恨，无心杀了人的。
6
他要住在那城里，站在会众面前听审判，等到那时的大祭司死了，杀人的才可以回到本城本家，就是他所逃出来的那城。
7
於是，以色列人在拿弗他利山地分定加利利的基低斯；在以法莲山地分定示剑；在犹大山地分定基列亚巴（基列亚巴就是希伯仑）；
8
又在约但河外耶利哥东，从流便支派中，在旷野的平原，设立比悉；从迦得支派中设立基列的拉末；从玛拿西支派中设立巴珊的哥兰。
9
这都是为以色列众人和在他们中间寄居的外人所分定的地邑，使误杀人的都可以逃到那里，不死在报血仇人的手中，等他站在会众面前听审判。
Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth
Joshua 20: The six cities of refuge.
Once all twelve tribes of Israel had received their inheritance, the Lord commanded Joshua and the Israelites to designate six cities of refuge, which were spread throughout the land on both sides of the Jordan. These cities would serve as safe havens, so that anyone who accidentally killed another person could flee to safety there. At the gate of the city, the refugee would declare his case to the city elders, and they would shelter him there until the high priest died. Then, the refugee could go back to his own city.
The six cities of refuge were evenly spaced throughout the land. In the north, Kedesh; in the center, Shechem; in the south, Kirjath Arba. Across the Jordan: Bezer, in Reuben; Ramoth, in Gad; and Golan in Manasseh. The three cities in Canaan are all said to be ‘on the mountains’, while the three cities across the Jordan are said to be ‘in the wilderness’ or ‘on the plain’.
There is a humanitarian purpose in granting safety when someone is accused of murder, a crime punishable by death. The spiritual meaning of this provision partly lies in the difference between justice and mercy. Justice has to do with the penalty of the law, while mercy recognizes that there could be more to the picture than just the intention to harm.
The Word acknowledges the place of both justice and mercy. Truth condemns, but love forgives. Ultimately, it is not we who know the real intentions of human hearts. This is something known only to the Lord, who will treat us justly, but also feel tender mercy and compassion towards us “for our low estate” (see Psalm 136:23 and Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 6180).
In his work, True Christian Religion, Swedenborg writes: “We acquire justice the more we practice it. We practice justice the more our interaction with our neighbour is motivated by a love for justice and truth. Justice dwells in the goodness itself or the useful functions themselves that we do. The Lord says that every tree is recognized by its fruit. Surely we get to know other people well through paying attention not only to what they do but also to what outcome they want, what they are intending and why. All angels pay attention to these things, as do all wise people in our world” (see True Christian Religion 96[2]).
Innocence is the wish not to harm, and it is one of the cornerstones of heaven. We can easily begin to feel guilt when we cause harm to someone without intending to. They suffer and we suffer also. Reconciliation is needed for everyone in that kind of situation. Spiritually, these cities of refuge mean giving others and ourselves the time and space to let go of harmful feelings – which hell often plays on – and after finding refuge, allowing the Lord to bring us healing (Arcana Caelestia 9011).
There are six cities of refuge because the number ‘six’ represents all the labors of regeneration and spiritual temptation. ‘Seven’ follows after ‘six’ and refers to the Sabbath, the day of the Lord’s rest, when He has brought us through hardships into a new peace (Arcana Caelestia 8975).
The fact that the six cities of refuge were spread on both sides of the Jordan also holds a valuable spiritual meaning. Being in Canaan means that we are consciously living with a sense of the Lord’s guidance in our thinking and actions. This gives us a higher level of understanding, rather like seeing life from up on the mountain. Being across the Jordan means that we are more acutely experiencing the uncertainties of life, although we still try to do what is good because of our faith and trust in the Lord. No matter what situation we face, we need our personal cities of refuge where we meet the ‘elders’ of the city – the leading truths in the Word – who bring us in, and offer us sanctuary with the Lord (Arcana Caelestia 8578).
1
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
2
And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.
3
And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.
4
And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
5
And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.
6
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
7
The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
8
And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
9
And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name,
10
Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.
11
And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
12
But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,
14
And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs,
15
And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,
16
And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.
17
And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,
18
Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.
19
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
20
And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.
21
For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,
22
And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs; four cities.
23
And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs,
24
Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities.
25
And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; two cities.
26
All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.
27
And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her suburbs; two cities.
28
And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,
29
Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her suburbs; four cities.
30
And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs,
31
Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities.
32
And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.
33
All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
34
And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,
35
Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities.
36
And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs,
37
Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities.
38
And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
39
Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all.
40
So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.
41
All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.
42
These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.
43
And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
44
And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
45
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Podpora:
ResponsiveVoice použito pod nekomerční licencí 
© 2024 New Christian Bible Study Corporation. Všechna práva vyhrazena. Podmínky použití | Privacy Policy.
