BEZER be’ zər (בֶּ֖צֶר, LXX Βόσορ, stronghold (?) fortress [?]). 1. A Levitical city in the region of Reuben (Josh 21:36; 1 Chron 6:78) assigned to the children of Merari. This same city was one of the three cities of refuge appointed by Moses on the E side of the Jordan (Deut 4:43; Josh 20:8). According to the Mesha Stone, it is located in the territory of Moab, possibly Bozrah of Moab as opposed to Bozrah of Edom (cf. LXX Bosar; Jer 48:24), and was one of the towns King Mesha fortified c. 830 b.c. This is perhaps modern Umm el ’Amad, NE of Medeba and E of Mt. Nebo. Wellhausen believed the cities of refuge formed a part of the 7th cent. reform, but this view is impossible since Bezer is lost to Israel before this time as the Mesha Stone witnesses.

2. Name of a son of Zophah of the house of Asher (1 Chron 7:37) meaning “gold,” or “precious metal” like חָרוּצ֒, H3021, cf. T. Noeldeke, EBi col. 3297 and M. Note IPN (1928), 223.