the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Bible Encyclopedias
Bezer
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."
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Bezer'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tce/​b/bezer.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.