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Bezer

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A city of refuge east of the Jordan, designated for unintentional manslayers.

Detailed Definition
Bezer embodies the biblical principle of mercy within justice (Deuteronomy 4). In poetry, it symbolizes sanctuary, the possibility of redemption after error, and the divine provision of safe spaces amid human violence and law.
Example
Example in poetry:
Bezer—city of refuge east of Jordan—inspires poetry on sanctuary: “Flee to Bezer, O manslayer—mercy waits within her walls”; A modern parallel: “Our Bezars are shelters, courts, communities that say: ‘You are safe here’”; In a poem on justice and mercy: “Bezer stood not to excuse, but to discern”; Liturgical verse: “Blessed Bezer, where blood cried out for pause, not vengeance.”
Additional Notes
Bezer (Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8) was a city of refuge east of the Jordan for unintentional manslayers. Such cities embodied mercy within justice, allowing asylum until trial. In poetry, Bezer represents sanctuary, the possibility of redemption after error, and the spatialization of legal and moral categories.
Also Known As
fortified city Reuben refuge desert stronghold
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