Place Old Testament
Bezer
Also known as Bozrah
Bezer, also called Bozrah, was a Levitical city of refuge in the territory of Reuben. Mentioned in 5 verses across 4 books, first at Deuteronomy 4:43.
Why it matters. Levitical city of refuge in Reuben
- Location
- 32.516, 36.488 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Bezer
Bezer, also known as Bozrah, was a city located in the region of Moab, east of the Dead Sea. It was allotted to the tribe of Reuben as part of their inheritance in the Transjordan (Joshua 20:8, 21:36; 1Ch.6.78). Moses designated Bezer as one of the six cities of refuge, where a person who accidentally killed someone could flee for protection from avengers (Deu.4.43). The city was also given to the Levites of the clan of Merari (Joshua 21:36, 1Ch.6.78).
The prophet Jeremiah mentioned Bozrah in his oracle against Moab, indicating that it was an important city in the region (Jeremiah 48:24). The name Bozrah means "sheepfold" or "fortress," suggesting that it may have been a fortified city or a center for sheep herding.
The exact location of Bezer is uncertain, but it was likely situated on the plateau east of the Dead Sea, within the territory of Reuben. It should not be confused with the Edomite city of Bozrah mentioned in other biblical passages (Genesis 36:33, Isaiah 34:6, 63:1, Amo.1.12).
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 5 verses across 4 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.