“But the slayer must stay in that city and be tried by the local assembly, which will render a judgment. And he must continue to live in that city until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the accident. After that, he is free to return to his own home in the town from which he fled.”” – Joshua 20:6 NLT

This is a creative jail system. The manslayer is kept safe in the city while still being punished for the crime by not being permitted to leave until the head priest dies. The connection behind the head priest’s death filling the sentence is a beautiful picture of Christ as well. Rather than paying the death penalty, the manslayer only has to wait for the death of the priest, and it will cover the death penalty as Christ’s death paid for our death penalty.

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” – 1 John 2:1-2 NLT