Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities. – Deuteronomy 19:3

Today's Scripture Reading (March 7, 2025): Deuteronomy 19

Recently, Sanctuary Cities have become one of the focuses of the political right. These cities are an interesting phenomenon since the idea of a sanctuary city or place of refuge originates in a tradition from the oldest part of the Christian and Jewish faith. Initially, it was supposed to be a place to go if you were accused of a capital crime. It wasn't that this was a place where criminals could hide, but a place where everyone could pause until the accusation and the evidence could be examined by a judge. If a judge found you guilty, you would be released to those harmed by your crime and the justice available to society. But if you were innocent, then there was a place where you could live without fear that someone would kill you.

A City of Refuge had to be within reach of the people who needed it. As a result, Moses tells Israel that they should measure the distances involved and ensure that these places of refuge were within running distance of the people. These cities would be of limited value if they were hidden away in one corner of the nation. They needed to be central and not placed too close to each other.

Eventually, Israel would have six of these Levitical cities of refuge: Golan, Ramoth, and Bosor on the east side of the Jordan River. And Kedesh, Shechem, and Hebron on the west side. 

The United States has more than 560 Sanctuary cities. These cities exist to provide temporary refuge to people who are illegally in the country. Like the cities of refuge in the Bible, these places offer temporary shelter to those attempting to claim compassionate entrance into the United States because of hardship or political danger back at home. The top twelve Sanctuary Cities include Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Austin, Newark, Denver, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Portland (Oregon), and Providence (Rhode Island). If you can't go home, these are the places to which you can run and receive a short time to make your appeals to the necessary courts before being sent home.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 20