Thou shalt prepare thee a way. In the East, the roads were for the most part mere tracks made by the feet of animals used as beasts of burden or for traveling; and this continues to be the case in Palestine and many other parts of the East even at the present day.
That roads, however, properly so called, were not unknown to the Hebrews, even in early times, is evident, not only from this passage, but also from Le 26:22; Numbers 20:17; Numbers 21:22; Deuteronomy 2:27; 1 Samuel 6:12.
The design of the injunction here was that every facility should be afforded to the fugitive to escape to the place of refuge. In later times, it was enacted that the roads leading to these cities should be repaired every year in the month Adar, and every obstruction removed.