CIUDADES DE REFUGIO
Josué 20:6
Some observe a
significance in the names of these cities with application to Christ our
Refuge. Kedesh signifies holy, and our Refuge is the holy Jesus. Shechem,
a shoulder, and the government is upon his shoulder. Hebron, fellowship, and
believers are called into the fellowship of Christ Jesus our Lord. Bezer, a
fortification, for he is a strong hold to all those that trust in
him. Ramoth, high or exalted, for Him hath God exalted with his own right hand. Golan,
joy or exultation, for in Him all the saints are justified, and shall
glory.
Kedesh sanctuary.
(1.) A place in the
extreme south of Judah
(Josh.15:23). Probably the same as Kadesh-barnea (q.v.).
2.) A city of Issachar (1 Chr. 6:72).
Possibly Tell Abu Kadeis, near Lejjun.
3.) A "fenced
city" of Naphtali, one of the cities of refuge (Josh. 19:37; Judg. 4:6).
It was assigned to the Gershonite Levites (Josh. 21:32). It was originally a
Canaanite royal city (Josh. 12:22), and was the residence of Barak (Judg. 4:6);
and
here he and Deborah
assembled the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali before the commencement of the
conflict with Sisera in the plain of Esdraelon, "for Jehovah among the
mighty" (9, 10). In the reign of Pekah it was taken by Tiglath-Pileser (2
Kings 15:29). It was situated near the
"plain" (rather "the oak") of Zaanaim,
and has been identified
with the modern Kedes, on the hills fully four miles north-west of Lake El
Huleh.
It has been supposed by
some that the Kedesh of the narrative, where Barak assembled his troops, was
not the place in Upper Galilee so named, which was 30 miles distant from the
plain of Esdraelon, but Kedish, on the shore of the Sea of
Galilee, 12
miles from Tabor.
06943 Qedesh
{keh'-desh} from 06942; TWOT - 1990d; n
pr loc
AV - Kedesh 11, Kedeshnaphtali 1; 12
Kedesh = "holy place" 1) a city in
the extreme south of Judah 1a) same as 'Kadesh' and 'Kadesh-barnea' 2) a city
of Issachar allotted to the Gershonite Levites 3) a fortified Canaanite city
allotted to Naphtali 4) a city of refuge in Naphtali
Shechem shoulder.
1.) The son of Hamor the
Hivite (Gen. 33:19; 34).
2.) A descendant of
Manasseh (Num. 26:31; Josh. 17:2).
3.) A city in Samaria (Gen. 33:18),
called also Sichem (12:6), Sychem (Acts 7:16). It stood in the narrow sheltered
valley between Ebal on the north and Gerizim on the south, these mountains at
their base being only some 500
yards apart. Here
Abraham pitched his tent
and built his first altar in the Promised Land, and received the first divine
promise (Gen. 12:6,7). Here also Jacob "bought a parcel of a field at the
hands of the children of Hamor" after his return from Mesopotamia, and
settled with his household, which he purged from idolatry by burying the
teraphim of his followers under an oak tree, which was afterwards called
"the oak of the sorcerer" (Gen. 33:19; 35:4; Judg. 9:37). (See
MEONENIM) Here too, after a while, he dug a well, which bears his name to this
day (John 4:5, 39-42). To Shechem Joshua gathered all Israel
"before God," and delivered to them his second parting address (Josh.
24:1-15). He "made a covenant with the people that day" at the very
place where, on first entering the land, they had responded to the law from
Ebal and Gerizim (Josh. 24:25), the terms of which were recorded "in the
book of the law of God", i.e., in the roll of the law of Moses; and in
memory of this solemn transaction a great stone was set up "under an
oak" (comp. Gen.28:18; 31:44-48; Ex. 24:4; Josh. 4:3, 8, 9), possibly the
old "oak of Moreh," as a silent witness of the transaction to all
coming time.
Shechem became one of the
cities of refuge, the central city of refuge for Western
Palestine (Josh. 20:7), and here the bones of Joseph were buried
(24:32). Rehoboam was appointed king in Shechem (1 Kings 12:1, 19), but
Jeroboam afterwards took up his residence here. This city is mentioned in
connection with our
Lord's conversation with
the woman of Samaria
(John 4:5); and thus, remaining as it does to the present day, it is one of the
oldest cities of the world. It is the modern Nablus, a contraction for Neapolis, the name
given to it by Vespasian. It lies about a mile and a half up the valley on its
southern slope, and on the north of Gerizim, which rises about 1,100 feet above it, and
is about 34 miles
north of Jerusalem.
It contains about 10,000 inhabitants, of whom about 160 are Samaritans and 100
Jews, the rest being Christians and Mohammedans.
The site of Shechem is
said to be of unrivalled beauty. Stanley says it
is "the most beautiful, perhaps the only very beautiful, spot in Central Palestine."
Gaza, near Shechem, only mentioned 1
Chr. 7:28, has entirely disappeared. It was destroyed at the time of the
Conquest, and its place was taken by Shechem. (See SYCHAR)
07927 Sh@kem {shek-em'} the same as 07926; TWOT - 2386b AV - Shechem 61, Sichem 1, Strong's synonym
for consent 1; 63 Shechem =
"back" or "shoulder" n pr m 1) son of Hamor, the chieftain
of the Hivites at Shechem at the time of Jacob's arrival n pr loc 2) a city in
Manasseh; located in a valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, 34 miles (54 km) north of Jerusalem and
7 miles
(10.5 km)
south- east of Samaria
Meonenim
(Judg. 9:37; A.V.,
"the plain of Meonenim;" R.V., "the oak of Meonenim") means
properly "soothsayers" or "sorcerers," "wizards"
(Deut. 18:10, 14; 2 Kings 21:6; Micah 5:12). This may
be the oak at Shechem
under which Abram pitched his tent (see SHECHEM, the "enchanter's
oak," so called, perhaps, from Jacob's hiding the "strange gods"
under it (Gen. 35:4).
KIRJATH-ARBAcity of Arba, the original
name of Hebron
(q.v.), so called from the name of its founder, one of the Anakim (Gen. 23:2;
35:27; Josh. 15:13). It was given to Caleb by Joshua as his portion. The Jews
interpret the name as meaning "the city of the four", i.e., of
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Adam, who were all, as they allege, buried there.
07153 Qiryath `Arba`
{keer-yath' ar-bah'} or (with the article interposed) Qiryath ha-'Arba` (Neh
11:25) {keer-yath' haw-ar-bah'} from
07151 and 0704 or 0702;; n pr loc AV -
Kirjatharba 6, city of Arba 1, synonym 2; 9 Kirjath-arba = "city of
Arba" 1) early name of the city which after the conquest was called
'Hebron'
07153 Qiryath `Arba`
{keer-yath' ar-bah'} or (with the article interposed) Qiryath ha-'Arba` (Neh
11:25) {keer-yath' haw-ar-bah'} from
07151 and 0704 or 0702;; n pr loc AV -
Kirjatharba 6, city of Arba 1, synonym 2; 9
Kirjath-arba = "city of Arba"
1) early name of the city which after the conquest was called 'Hebron'
BEZERore of
gold or silver. (1.) A city of the Reubenites; one of the three cities of
refuge on the east of Jordan
(Deut. 4: 43; Josh. 20:8). It has been identified with the modern ruined
village of Burazin, some 12
miles north of Heshbon; also with Kasur-el-Besheir, 2 miles south-west of
Dibon.
2.) A descendant of Asher (1 Chr. 7:37).
01221
Betser {beh'-tser} the same as
01220;; AV - Bezer 5; 5
Bezer = "gold ore" or "remote
fortress" n pr m 1) son of Zophah, one of the heads of the houses of Asher
n pr loc 2) a city of refuge in Reuben in the downs on the east of the Jordan
Ramoth-gilead
heights
of Gilead, a city of refuge on the east of Jordan;
called "Ramoth in Gilead" (Deut.
4:43; Josh. 20:8; 21:38). Here Ahab, who joined Jehoshaphat in an endeavour to
rescue it from the hands of the king of Syria, was mortally wounded (1
Kings 22:1-36). A similar attempt was afterwards made by Ahaziah and Joram,
when the latter was wounded (2 Kings 8:28). In this city Jehu, the son of
Jehoshaphat, was anointed by one of the sons of the prophets (9:1, 4).
It
has with probability been identified with Reimun, on the northern slope of the
Jabbok, about 5 miles
west of Jerash or Gerasa, one of the cities of Decapolis.
Others identify it with Gerosh, about 25 miles north-east of es-Salt, with which also
many
have identified it. (See RAMATH-MIZPEH)
07216
Ra'mowth {raw-moth'} or Ramoth {raw-moth'}
pl. of 07215;; n pr loc
AV
- Ramoth 4; 4 Ramoth = "heights" 1) a place in Gilead;
site dubious 2) a Levitical city in Issachar
RAMOTH-GILEAD(heights
of Gilead), one of the great fastnesses on the east of jordan, and the key to an important
district. #1Ki 4:13| It was the city of refuge for the tribe of Gad, #De 4:43;
Jos 20:8; 21:38| and the residence of one of Solomon's commissariat officers.
#1Ki 4:13| During the invasion related in #1Ki 15:20| or some subsequent
incursion, this important place had seized by Ben-hadad
I., king of Syria. The incidents of Ahab's
expedition are well known. [AHAB] Later it was taken by Israel, and held in spite of all the efforts of
Hazael who was now on the throne of Damascus,
to regain it. AHAB - 151 #2Ki 9:14|
Henceforward Ramoth-gilead disappears from our view. Eusebius and Jerome
specify the position of Ramoth as 15 miles from Philadelphia
(Amman). It may
correspond to the site bearing the name of Jel'ad, exactly identical with the
ancient Hebrew Gilead, which is four or five miles north of es-Salt, 25 miles east of the Jordan and 13 miles south of the
brook Jabbok.
Golan
exile,
a city of Bashan (Deut. 4:43), one of the three
cities of refuge east of Jordan,
about 12 miles
north-east of the Sea of Galilee (Josh. 20:8).
There are no further notices of it in Scripture. It became the head of the province of Gaulanitis, one
of
the four provinces into which Bashan was divided after the Babylonish
captivity, and almost identical with the modern Jaulan, in Western Hauran,
about 39 miles
in length and 18 in
breath. 01474 Gowlan {go-lawn'} from 01473;; n pr loc AV - Golan 4; 4
Golan = "their captivity: their
rejoicing" 1) a town of Manasseh in the
heights of Bashan east of the Jordan;
a city of refuge.
CIUDADES DE REFUGIO
Josué 20:6
Lugares de asilo mencionados en Nm.35:9-34 y Jos. 20:1-9 (donde se les
enumera). También se mencionan en Nm.35:6; Jos.21:13,21,27,32,38;
1Cr.6:57,67. Estas pertenecían a las
ciudades de los Levitas. Dt.4:41-43;19:1-13
(cf. Ex.21.12-14).
En la vida pública de Israel se
aplicaba la ley de retribución que se especifica en la ley del
Talión (Ex.21:23-25), se aplicaba en casos de derramamiento de sangre (Gen.9.5;
Ex.21.12; Lv.24.17), el deber de castigar al asesino correspondía al go´el, el pariente varón más
cercano (VENGADOR DE LA SANGRE). Se distinguía el hecho de matar a un hombre
deliberadamente o sin intención. El que
mataba sin intención podía encontrar asilo en algunas ciudades de refugio. Se puede decir que estas servían mayormente
par evitar los excesos que podían derivarse de la ejecución de lo que se
denomina "venganza u odios de sangre", o sea enemistades de familia.
En Éxodo
21:12-14 hay una estipulación sobre este asunto. Se consideraba el altar o el santuario como
un asilo. El que mata a sabiendas no
encontrará refugio cerca del altar, el homicida no intencional si lo
encontrará. Pero el altar si lo
encontrara muy distante, y además no puede quedarse permanentemente cerca del
altar, en el santuario. Se mencionan
casos en que el altar ha servido como asilo en Israel 1R.1:50-53; 2:2834; Sal.
27:4-6; 61:4; Abdías 17, demuestran que esta práctica era muy conocida.
Israel
señala 3 ciudades al Este del Jordán, y 3 ciudades al Oeste del río. Según Josué 20, las siguientes ciudades de
refugio fueron designadas en vida de Josué:
CEDES
|
GALILEA
|
NEFTALI
|
Santuario,
ciudad con vallado
|
SIQUEM
|
|
EFRAIN
|
Hombro,
responsabilidad, cargar con
|
QUIRIAT-ARBA
|
HEBRON
|
JUDA
|
Ciudad de
cuatro, comunidad
|
BESER
|
DESIERTO
|
RUBEN
|
Fortificación
|
RAMOT
|
GALAAD
|
GAD
|
Alto o exaltado
|
GOLAN
|
BASAN
|
MANASES
|
Alegría o gozo
triunfante
|
Porqué
debía permanecer el homicida no intencional en la ciudad de refugio hasta la
muerte del sumo sacerdote?. Su culpa recaía sobre el sumo sacerdote y era
expiada por la (inesperada) muerte del mismo sumo sacerdote.
Vengador
de la sangre: (heb. gô'el haddam = redentor de la sangre). lo constituía el sistema conocido como
venganza de la sangre por daños personales, se le menciona en Génesis 9:5. todos los integrantes del clan se
consideraban de una misma sangre, pero la responsabilidad de vengar la sangre
derramada recaía sobre el pariente más próximo, podía ser llamdo a redimir la
propiedad o la persona de un pariente pobre o cautivo (Lv.25:25, 47:49; Rut
4:1). El código penal Mosáico autorizaba al vengador a ejecutar al asesino pero
a nadie más (Dt.24:16; 2R.14:6; 2Cr.25:4).
PARIENTES
A la cabeza de la familia
|
Mispaha
(parentela)
|
El padre
|
Ab
|
Funda una casa del padre
|
Bêt âb
|
O la casa de los padres
|
Bêt abôt
|
