Deuteronomy 19:2

“Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, etc.] From the cities they took possession of and dwelt in; and indeed from the cities of the Levites, which were given to them to inhabit; three were before ordered to be separated from those inhabited by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, (<050441>Deuteronomy 4:4143) but these were to be in the midst of the land of Canaan; (see <062007>Joshua 20:7,8), which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it: which as it is often mentioned when this land is spoken of, so it carries in it a reason here why this order of the Lord’s should be readily complied with, the whole land and all the cities of it…”

“This and the next two chapters contain enactments designed to protect human life, and to impress its sanctity on Israel. In Deuteronomy 19:1-13 the directions respecting the preparation of the roads to the cities of refuge, the provision of additional cities in case of an extension of territory, and the intervention of the elders as representing the congregation, are unique to Deuteronomy and supplementary to the laws on the same subject given in the earlier books (compare the marginal reference). Deuteronomy 19:1, Deuteronomy 19:2 The three cities of refuge for the district east of Jordan had been already named. Moses now directs that when the territory on the west of Jordan had been…”

“In the midst of the land - Namely, beyond Jordan, as there were three already appointed on this side Jordan: In the midst of the several parts of their land, to which they might speedily flee from all the parts of the land. Deuteronomy 19:3”

“19:2 The three cities were those in Canaan, west of the Jordan; there were three more in Transjordan (see Num 35:13-14; Josh 20:7).”

“separate three cities: Unquestionably in imitation of these cities, the heathen had their asyla, and the Roman Catholics their privileged altars, and similar traditions seem to obtain in many barbarous nations, for "the North American Indian nations have most of them either a house or town of refuge, which is a sure asylum to protect a manslayer, or the unfortunate captive, if he once enter it. In almost every Indian nation, there are several towns, which are called old beloved, ancient, holy, or white towns (white being their fixed emblem of peace, friendship, prosperity, happiness, purity, etc.). They seem to have been formerly towns of refuge; for it is not in the memory of the oldest…”