Sanctuary cities, which protect illegal immigrants from deportation, are often compared to the cities of refuge referred to in the Bible, according to some Biblical scholars and evangelists. However, the cities mentioned in various books in the Bible differed from the sanctuary cities set up throughout the U.S.
The cities of refuge were established in the Promised Land for the tribes of Israel,
according to Got Questions Ministries. Six cities were located in Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Romath and Golan, it is stated in Joshua 20:7-8. Although the Book of Exodus states that anyone who commits murder should be put to death, the cities of refuge were for unintentional deaths.
In these cases of accidental death, rather than murder, the accused could seek safety in one of these cities, located on each side of the Jordan River. The priests of the Lord from the tribe of the Levites would then research the alleged crime and judge the person accordingly.
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It was a way for the suspect to find refuge from avengers who sought his death. If it was determined the death had occurred unintentionally, the person could seek safety in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest in charge of the trial at which point he could return to his home. If the killer left the city before then, the avenger would be allowed to take the killer’s life.
The city of refuge was similar to a jail, but the accused could live life there normally and work to support his family,
according to John W. Ritenbaugh in Forerunner.
The cities of refuge were different from sanctuary cities,
Bryan Fischer wrote in an article for the American Family Association. If the killer was tried and found guilty, he could be put to death by the avengers. A city of refuge was not a place for the guilty to escape justice.
Sanctuary cities, on the other hand, have been known to harbor lawbreakers, Fischer maintained. Even guilty parties are allowed to roam free in the cities and possibly commit more crimes. Fischer pointed out that Biblical verses point out that the guilty must be punished.
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