Refuge

s. (refuge, Fr. refugium, Lat.) 1. Shelter from any danger or distre ; protection (Milton). 2. That which gives shelter or protection (Dryden). 3. Expedient in distre (Shakespeare), 4. Expedient in general (/Votton). To Re/ruce. v. a. (vefugier, French.) To. shelter; to protect (Dryden). ReFvuGE (Cities of ), were places provide - ed as asyla, for such as against their will should happen to kill a man. Of these cities there were three on each side Jordan: on this side were Kedish of Napthali, Hebron, and Schechem; beyond Jordon were Bezer, Golan, and Ramoth-Gilead. When any of the He- — brews, or strangers that dwelt in their country, happened. to spill the blood of a man, they might retire thither to be cut of the reach of + the violent attempts of the relations of the de-~ ceased, and to prepare for their defence and jus-_ tification before the judges. The manslayer _ underwent two trials; first before the judges of the city of refuge to which he had fled; and secondly before the judges of his own city, If found guilty, he was put to death with all the. severity of the law. If he was acquitted, he was not immediately set at liberty; but, to inspire a degree of horror against even involuntary — homicide, he was reconducted. to the place of refuge, and obliged to continue there-in a sort of banishment till the death of the high-priest. ~ If, before this time, he ventured out, the revenger of blood might freely kill him; but after the high-priest’s death he was at liberty to go where he pleased without molestation. It was nece ary that the person who fled to any of the” cities of refuge should understand some trade or calling, that he might not be burthensome to the inhabitants. The’ cities of refuge were re-— quired to be well supplied with water and nece ary provisions. ‘[hey were also to be of easy acce , to have good roads leading to them, with commodious bridges where there was occasion. The width of the roads was to be 32 cubits or 48 feet at least.. It was further required, that at all cro -ways direction-posts should be erected, with an inscription point- — ing out the road to the cities of refuge.