In the days before an established judicial system, a man who accidentally killed another faced the threat of retribution from the nearest male relative, known as the blood avenger, who had a duty to avenge the death. Exodus 21:12 states that the man must be put to death for taking a life, but the following verse offers reprieve if the killing was not premeditated, declaring that God would appoint a place for him to flee. This place was a city of refuge, where the man could submit evidence to the authorities to prove the killing was accidental. If his account was believed, he would be allowed to live in that city without fear of retribution until the death of the current high priest in Jerusalem, after which he could return home unmolested. However, if he left the city before that time, the blood avenger was within his rights to find and kill him.

In ancient Israel, the six cities of refuge were established as sanctuaries where a person guilty of manslaughter could flee to escape the blood avenger, the closest male relative of the slain person tasked with taking the manslayer's life in retribution. Upon reaching the city safely, the manslayer had to remain there until the death of the current high priest, for if he left, the blood avenger could exact vengeance without guilt. The roads to these cities were meticulously maintained, straightened, and broadened, with all impediments removed and bridges built over natural barriers to ensure swift passage. The paths were marked with signs reading 'Refuge, Refuge' at crossroads, guiding the fugitive clearly to safety. The width of these roads was mandated to be no less than thirty-two cubits, ensuring accessibility. For the one guilty of manslaughter, the journey demanded focus and urgency, discarding all worldly baggage to run without delay, as the blood avenger pursued with the right to exact the penalty of death. The cities were strategically positioned so that no one was more than a day's journey away, guaranteeing safety upon entering the gates, provided the fugitive stayed on the path and moved with determination. This hope for refuge was not a mere wish but a confident expectation of safety as soon as the city limits were crossed. God has given us hope in redemption, paralleled in the urgency and focus required to reach these cities, urging us to flee for refuge and lay hold of the hope set before us, as His plan remains unchangeable and rock solid.