BOZRAH, bŏz’ rə (בָּצְרָֽה). 1. An ancient city of Edom, strongly fortified and virtually impregnable. It is prob. to be identified with modern Buseireh, situated at the head of the Wadi Hamayideh on a rocky isolated bluff surrounded on three sides by steep valleys, approximately thirty m. N of Petra. It was the strongest fortress of the northern half of Edom and as such controlled access to the King’s Highway, and hence to the Arabah and the Red Sea port of Elath. Probably at times it functioned as the capital of Edom, although this is not certain, Teman in the S being of equal importance (see Y. Aharoni, The Land of the Bible 37). Bozrah is mentioned in Genesis 36:33 and 1 Chronicles 1:44 as being the city of Jobab, one of the early kings of Edom. It is particularly used by the prophets, along with Teman, to describe Edom in oracles of judgment, since both places were so impregnable (Isa 34:6; 63:1; Jer 49:13, 22; Amos 1:12). In Micah 2:12 it is better tr. “sheepfold” as in the modern VSS.

2. A city of Moab (Jer 48:24), prob. identified with Bezer (q.v.).