Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed

In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Numbers establish the story of and the rules for Cities of Refuge. When the Israelites conquer land near the Jordan river, God commands them to establish Cities of Refuge in which those guilty of accidental killing can seek shelter and protection. The title of Hallie’s book, Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed, is partially a quotation from the biblical description of these cities of refuge. Though they refer specifically to providing safety to accidental murderers, the passages referencing those cities provided Trocmé with much of the language to explain the duty of the Chambonnais.

In English, the group of Protestants who followed Anglo-Irish John Nelson Darby’s teachings on Protestant exceptionalism are called Darbyites. They are also referred to as the Plymouth Brethren or the Exclusive Brethren. Generally, this group considers themselves separate from other Christians, including other Protestants to varying degrees largely related to the practice of worship. There were probably roughly 1,000 Darbyites in Le Chandon between 1940 and 1945, and they were generally more welcoming to Jewish refugees throughout France than other Protestants due to their belief in the truths of the Old Testament, including the Jews being God’s chosen people.