REFUGE rĕf’ uj (מַחְסֶה, H4726, meaning a place of shelter).

The idea of security permeates all words refuge in the Bible. Security may be regarded from various standpoints. The Heb. מַחְסֶה, H4726, expresses security as a shelter from the storm or from danger. God is the shelter of the pious (Pss 14:6; 104:18; Isa 4:6). Security may sometimes be equated with flight as in the Heb. מָנﯴס, H4960, illustrated in Jeremiah 46:5 and Amos 2:14. Safety may be thought of as a place to dwell, esp. a secret place as the den of a beast as expressed by מְעֹנָה, H5104, (Amos 3:4). Cities of refuge were provided (Num 35:11ff.). The word used is מִקְלָט, H5236, meaning to take harbor. Here security is in terms of a stated sanctuary. The Heb. מִשְׂגָּב֒, H5369, means tower and depicts safety as inaccessible height (Ps 9:9; Isa 33:16).