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בֶּצֶר

𐤁𐤑𐤓

Betser

H1221 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בצר to restrain, to fortify, to make inaccessible

Definition

Proper noun: (1) Betser — a city designated as a city of refuge in the territory east of the Jordan, allocated to the tribe of Reuben; (2) Personal name — Betser, an individual listed among the descendants of Caleb. The term itself likely refers to a place characterized by inaccessibility or strong fortification, but is used exclusively in proper noun contexts (place and personal name) in the Hebrew Bible.

Semantic Range

city name (city of refuge), personal name; a fortified or inaccessible place (implied etymological sense only)

Root / Etymology

בצר (root) – meaning 'to be inaccessible,' 'to restrain,' or 'to fortify.' Betser is derived directly from this root, indicating a location that is defended or hard to approach. The word serves as a place name and, secondarily, as a personal name, but the etymological sense relates to its likely geographic feature.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Betser appears in the Hebrew Bible chiefly as the name of a city of refuge allocated to the tribe of Reuben (Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8; Joshua 21:36, though some textual witnesses vary here). The contextual implication is of a secure, protected site suitable for asylum. The place-name likely originated from the root sense of inaccessibility or defense. As a personal name (1 Chronicles 7:37), it reflects a convention of naming individuals after place names or desirable qualities. While later English translations employ the form 'Bezer' or 'Betser,' this term refers specifically to its original biblical contexts and does not directly correspond to the later ethnonyms like 'Jew.' The use of 'Betser' as an ethnonym is not justified by biblical evidence—its primary referents are geographic and genealogical. In the historical development, there is no attested shift in meaning beyond these uses, though references to 'cities of refuge' indicate a growing legal and theological significance in Second Temple literature and beyond. No ancient sources suggest an extension to broader ethnic or religious identities.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

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

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בצר (b-ṣ-r) — restrain, fortify, make inaccessible

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1208 בָּצוֹר the fortified one
H1210 בָּצִיר grape harvest
H1219 בָּצַר made-inaccessible
H1220 בֶּצֶר extracted gold
H1222 בְּצַר gold

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1221-01 בֶּ֧צֶר betser HNp Bezer Fortified-Place 5

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1221-01 Deuteronomy 4:43 בֶּ֧צֶר betser HNp Bezer Fortified-Place
H1221-01 Joshua 20:8 בֶּ֧צֶר betser HNp Bezer Fortified-Place
H1221-01 Joshua 21:36 בֶּ֖צֶר betser HNp Bezer Fortified-Place
H1221-01 1 Chronicles 6:63 בֶּ֥צֶר betser HNp Bezer Fortified-Place
H1221-01 1 Chronicles 7:37 בֶּ֣צֶר betser HNp Bezer Fortified-Place
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