Bezer

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

One of the cities of refuge appointed for the manslayer to flee unto, as provided. See ( Deuteronomy 4:41, etc.) It lay in the country of the Reuhenites, but became somewhat like a frontier town, both to them, and to Edom and Moab; being near the borders of each. What makes it particularly meriting our attention is, that in the design and appointment of it we see clear traces of its being typical of the Lord Jesus Christ.

These cities of refuge were for the manslayer to flee to for shelter. Now Christ is the only refuge for the manslayer of the soul to flee unto; for every sinner is a soul-murderer: he hath slain his own soul. And if fleeing to Christ when the avenger of blood, that is, the law of God, and the justice of God, is pursuing him, he takes shelter in the Lord Jesus, the Bezer of his people, and the city of refuge for security, before he be overtaken, he is in safety for ever. All the days his High Priest liveth no condemnation can fall upon him; and that is for ever!

That the appointment of those cities (which were six in number), had an eye to Christ cannot be doubted, because a provision for the manslayer, if referring only to temporal things, might have been made in a much easier and more simple way. An express law for the magistrate or priest to have acted upon, in all cases of murder where there was no malice prepense, would have been equally easy in this case, as in every other. But when we see six cities expressly set apart for this one purpose only, and placed in certain situations convenient for the poor murderer to get most easily at; when we read so much as is said concerning it, and call to mind how much the Holy Ghost delighted in shadowing forth Christ, under the Old Testament Scripture, in type and figure; and when we observe, moreover, how very strikingly the things here marked down in the city of refuge point to the Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot hesitate to conclude, that it was thus, among a great variety of other ways, Christ was preached to the people. Christ, indeed, as a sanctuary, infinitely exceeds the type represented by the city of refuge. For though the manslayer, when entered within the suburbs, could not be taken from thence, yet neither could he go abroad; if he did, he died. But in Jesus we are both made safe and free; for "if the Son hath made us free, we shall be free indeed." ( John 8:36) Moreover, the manslayer among the Jews had freedom only upon the death of the high priest, but our great High Priest giveth freedom both while we live on earth, and hereafter in heaven; and "he himself abideth a priest for ever."

I cannot forbear adding, what hath been always considered, by pious believers, as a farther testimony that these cities of refuge had an eye to Christ, and were plainly typical, namely, that the name given to each became expressive of somewhat significant in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. Bezer means a strong hold. And such is Christ. Ramoth in Gilead, a place of eminency. And JEHOVAH'S testimony of Jesus is, that "he should be exalted, and extolled, and be very high?" ( Isaiah 52:13) And Golan, in Bashan, carries with it the glory. And is there not joy and peace in believing when the soul abounds in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost? Neither were the other three cities appointed beyond Jordan by Joshua, less striking, when considered in reference to Christ. ( Joshua 20:7) Kedish, holy. And who is holy but Jesus? Shechem, the shoulder. And Christ's government is said to be upon his shoulder. ( Isaiah 9:6) And Kirjatharba, or Hebron, the city of fellowship. Into what sweet fellowship and communion doth Jesus bring all his people!

It is a very blessed addition to this merciful design of the Lord, that he so graciously appointed the whole six cities of refuge to suit the different situations of the people, that if they were central in the place where the manslaughter was committed, or at the remote end of their town, at each extremity there were avenues leading to the one or other of the city of refuge. And it was a law in Israel we are told, that one day in every year there were persons sent to repair the roads leading to them, and to remove all stumblingblocks or stones, which might by time have fallen in the way; and to see also, that the posts of direction, which were set up at every corner leading to the city, were carefully preserved, and the name Miklat, (that is, refuge) legible upon them. All these were so many express types of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Zoar,  Genesis 19:20, etc. our Bezer, ( Psalms 145:18) our city of refuge to flee to. And he is always near at hand. He is also, (as the prophet described him) the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in. ( Isaiah 58:12) And every ordinance and means of grace in the ministry of his word points, like the Miklat of the Jews, unto Jesus, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left," ( Isaiah 30:21) Blessed Jesus, be thou indeed, "the way, and the truth, and the life!" and surely, "the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." ( Isaiah 35:8)

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

BEZER (‘fortress’). 1 . An Asherite (  1 Chronicles 7:37 ). 2 . A city belonging to Reuben, situated ‘in the wilderness, on the mîshôr ,’ or fiat table-land, E. of Jordan (  Deuteronomy 4:43 ,   Joshua 20:8 ); a city of refuge allotted, according to P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] , to the Merarites (  Joshua 21:36 , whence   1 Chronicles 6:78 , (63)). It is mentioned also by Mesha’ (Moab. Stone, l. 27), as being in ruins in his day, and as having been rebuilt by him, after his revolt from Ahab, and expulsion of the Israelites from the territory N. of the Arnon. From its being described as being in the ‘wilderness’ (cf.   Deuteronomy 2:8 ) it may be inferred that it was situated towards the E. border of the Moabite table-land. The site has not yet been recovered.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

or Bozra, or Bostra, a city beyond Jordan, given by Moses to Reuben: this town was designed by Joshua to be a city of refuge; it was given to the Levites of Gershom's family,  Deuteronomy 4:43 . When Scripture mentions Bezer, it adds, "in the wilderness," because it lay in Arabia Deserta, and the eastern part of Edom, encompassed with deserts. Eusebius places Bozra twenty-four miles from Adraa, or Edrai. This city is sometimes said to belong to Reuben, sometimes to Moab, and sometimes again to Edom; because, as it was a frontier town to these three provinces, it was occasionally in the hands of one party, and then was taken by another. The bishops of Bostra subscribed the decrees of several councils.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A descendant of Asher ( 1 Chronicles 7:37 ).

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Bezer'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/b/bezer.html. 1897.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. A city in Reuben, described as 'in the wilderness, in the plain country.' It was one of the three Cities of Refuge on the east of the Jordan.  Deuteronomy 4:43;  Joshua 20:8;  Joshua 21:36;  1 Chronicles 6:78 . Identified with Kusr el Besheir, 31 29' N, 35 43' E .

2. Son of Zophah, one of the princes of Asher.  1 Chronicles 7:37 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A city of refuge, in the plain country of Reuben beyond Jordan. Its exact site is not known,  Deuteronomy 4:43   Joshua 20:8   21:36 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Be'zer. (Gold Ore). Son of Zophah, one of the heads of the houses of Asher.  1 Chronicles 7:37.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Deuteronomy 4:43 Joshua 20:8 Joshua 21:36

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Be'tser, בֶּצֶר , Ore of gold or silver, as in Psalm 76:13), the name of a place and also of a man.

1. (Sept. Βοσόρ or Βόσορ .) A place always called Bezer in the wilderness" ( בִּמִּדְבָּר ), being a city of the Reubenites, with "suburbs," in the Mishor or downs, set apart by Moses as one of the three cities of refuge on the east of the Jordan ( Deuteronomy 4:43;  Joshua 20:8), and allotted to the Merarites ( Joshua 21:36;  1 Chronicles 6:78). In the last two passages the exact specification, בִּמִּישֹׁר , "in the plain country," of the other two is omitted, but traces of its former presence in the text in  Joshua 21:16 are furnished us by the reading of the Sept. and Vulg. ( Τὴν Βοσὸρ Ἐν Τῇ Ἐρημῷ , Τὴν Ιν Ιὼ ῾ Alex. Μισὼρ ] Καὶ Τὰ Περισπόρια ; Bosor In Solitudine, Misor Et Jaser ) . Bezer may be the Bosor (q.v.) of  1 Maccabees 5:26;  1 Maccabees 5:36. Reland rashly identifies it with the Bozra of Arabia Deserta ( Palaest. p. 661); and Schwarz ( Palest. p. 229) makes it to be a Talmudical Kenathirin ( כנתירין ), which he finds in "an isolated high mound called Jebel Kuwetta, S.E. of Aroer, near the Armon," meaning doubtless Jebel Ghuweiteh, which lies entirely without the bounds of Reuben. Bezer seems to correspond in position and name with the ruined village Burazin, marked on Van de Velde's Map at 12 miles N. of E. from Heshbon (comp. Robinson, Researches, 3, Append. p. 170).

2. (Sept. Βασάρ v. r. Βασάν .) The sixth named of the eleven sons of Zophah, of the descendants of Asher ( 1 Chronicles 7:36). B.C. post 1658.

"The ruins of this place have recently been discovered by Mr. Palmer, a little more than two miles southwest of Dihon, now called Kasur elBesheir. They are on a knoll, and are of some extent."

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bē´zẽr ( בּצר , becer  ; Βόσορ , Bósor , "strong"):

(1) A city of refuge, set apart by Moses for the Reubenites and located in the "plain country" (or table-land, Mı̄shōr ) East of the Jordan, later assigned to this tribe by Joshua ( Deuteronomy 4:43;  Joshua 20:8 ). The same city was assigned by lot as place of residence to the children of Merari of the Levite tribe ( Joshua 21:36;  1 Chronicles 6:63 ,  1 Chronicles 6:78 ). Driver, HDB , suggests the identity of Bezer with Bozrah (Septuagint, Bosor) ( Jeremiah 48:24 ). Besheir has been suggested as the present site. According to the manuscript it was forti fied by Mesha.

(2) A son of Zophah of the house of Asher ( 1 Chronicles 7:37 ).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Be´zer, a city beyond the Jordan, in the tribe of Reuben, and one of the six cities of refuge ( Deuteronomy 4:43;  Joshua 20:8). The site is unknown.