בֶּ֖צֶר

𐤁𐤑𐤓

betser

Bezer

the same as בֶּצֶר, an inaccessible spot; Betser, a place in Palestine; also an Israelite; Bezer.

H1221

Joshua 21:36 · Word #4

Lexicon H1221

Lemmaבֶּצֶר
Lemma (Paleo)𐤁𐤑𐤓
TransliterationBetser
Strong'sH1221
In-contextBezer

Morphology HNp All morphology codes

Part of Speech N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea
Subtype p — Proper Name — Proper name

SIBI-P1 H1221-01

Fortified Stronghold (Betser)

Rootבצר (b-ṣ-r)
Core Meaningsto cut off, make inaccessible, fortify, enclose, defend
Semantic Rangefortified place, stronghold, inaccessible settlement; as a proper noun, a city east of the Jordan and also a personal name
Conceptual SignificanceBetser was designated as a city of refuge (Deut 4:43; Josh 20:8), fitting its root sense of fortified protection. The name underscores themes of refuge, security, and divinely provided safety within Israel’s covenantal framework.
Morphological NotesMasculine singular proper noun (place name). Derived from the verbal root בצר, likely in a nominal form indicating a fortified or inaccessible place.
Rendering RationaleThe proper noun בֶּצֶר (HNp) is a masculine singular place name derived from the root בצר, "to make inaccessible or fortified." Rendering it as "Fortified Stronghold" preserves the root sense of defensibility and enclosure while retaining the transliterated name in parentheses to reflect its function as a proper noun.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root בצר (to cut off, make inaccessible, fortify, enclose, defend)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H1224-01 batserah Fortress-town (feminine singular place-name)
H1210-01 batsir grape-cut harvest
H1219-01 betsurah in a cut-off (feminine singular)
H1219-02 betsurot in fortified ones
H1219-03 botserim grape-cutters
H1219-04 habetsurot the fortified ones
H4013-01 hamivetsar the fortified stronghold
H1224-02 mibatserah from Fortress (Bozrah)
H4013-02 mivetsar fortified stronghold
H4013-03 mivetsarayikhe your fortified strongholds
H4013-04 mivetsarayv his fortified strongholds
H4013-05 mivetsareykha your fortified strongholds
H4013-06 mivetserey fortified strongholds of
H1219-05 tivetsor you will cut off
H1219-06 uvetsurot and in fortified (cut-off) places
H1210-02 vatsir grape-cutting
H1219-07 vetsurah in a fortified one
H1219-08 yibatser he will be fortified (made inaccessible)

Word Usage (5 occurrences of H1221)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Deuteronomy 4:43 בֶּ֧צֶר betser Bezer
Joshua 20:8 בֶּ֧צֶר betser Bezer
Joshua 21:36 בֶּ֖צֶר betser Bezer