What Does Joshua 21:36 Mean in the King James?
And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Bezer’s name carries the image of a fortress, and this refuge city sits inside Reuben’s inheritance.
THE MEANING
The verse gives refuge a place within shared belonging: Bezer, whose name carries the image of a fortress, sits within Reuben’s territory. Its surrounding open land is part of the provision too, so shelter includes space around the city.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that refuge must be found outside the community: Bezer is placed within a tribe’s inheritance.
THE ROOT
בֶּצֶר
Beṣer
GROWS FROM
בצר
To fortify or make inaccessible; a stronghold.
Bezer’s name carries the image of a fortified place. Joshua 20:8 names this same city as a city of refuge, so its name and its role meet: shelter is built into the shared territory.
ALSO GROWS
bāṣar: To fortify or make inaccessible.
בָּצַר
The verb gives the name its sense of defended shelter.
mibṣār: Fortress, stronghold.
מִבְצָר
This noun from the same root makes the image in Bezer’s name concrete.
מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ
migrāšêhā
GROWS FROM
גרש
To drive out or send away; the related noun refers to open land around a settlement.
The word translated “suburbs” includes the open ground around a city, often used as pasture. The allotment holds both the city and the space around it as part of the provision.
ALSO GROWS
gāraš: To drive out, expel.
גָּרַשׁ
This verb gives the root’s sense of movement outward.
migrāš: Common open land or pasture around a city.
מִגְרָשׁ
This is the noun behind “suburbs,” naming the land attached to the city beyond its built space.
THE PATTERN
Shared life makes room for refuge and dedicated service within its own landscape.
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:THE THREAD
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.This verse uses the same Hebrew word, מִגְרָשׁ (migrāš), for the open land translated “suburbs.” It shows that the city’s surrounding ground belongs to the provision too: the allotment makes room for dwelling beyond the walls.
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