Numbers 35

Devotional:
These towns will come from the property of the people of Israel. The larger tribes will give more towns to the Levites, while the smaller tribes will give fewer. Each tribe will give property in proportion to the size of its land.” (Numbers 35:8).

Rather than a particular territory, the Levites had cities throughout the land where they would live and raise the livestock that was given to them as tithes. Their placement throughout the land was a reminder that it was not just a portion of the land that was God’s, but all of it. Some of the cities given to the Levites were so-called “cities of refuge” where someone would flee if they accidentally killed someone. Because of the sanctity of human life, those who intentionally killed someone would be put to death (vs. 16-21), and those who did not intend to kill the other still faced consequences and would have to stay in these cities of refuge (vs. 22-29). Let us remember that every person we meet is created in the image of God and belongs to Him, and that every place we go belongs to God as well.

Pray it:
Father, help me to uphold the sanctity of every single life that is created in your image, protecting those who are overlooked and forgotten and refusing to speak ill or injure my fellow image-bearers.

Share it:
Who is someone you can share a verse or thought from this passage with?