King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
[Namely], Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The cities were Betzer in the desert, in the flatland, for the Re'uveni; Ramot in Gil'ad for the Gadi; and Golan in Bashan for the M'nashi.
Berean Standard Bible:
Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.
American Standard Version:
namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Namely, Bezer{H1221} in the wilderness{H4057}, in the plain{H4334} country{H776}, of the Reubenites{H7206}; and Ramoth{H7216} in Gilead{H1568}, of the Gadites{H1425}; and Golan{H1474} in Bashan{H1316}, of the Manassites{H4520}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Joshua 20:8
- 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.
Joshua 21:27
- And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the [other] half tribe of Manasseh [they gave] Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, [to be] a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.
Joshua 21:38
- And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, [to be] a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
1 Chronicles 6:71
- Unto the sons of Gershom [were given] out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs:
1 Chronicles 6:80
- And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
1 Kings 22:3
- And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead [is] ours, and we [be] still, [and] take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
1 Kings 22:4
- And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I [am] as thou [art], my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Deuteronomy 4:43
Deuteronomy 4:43 is part of a speech by Moses to the Israelites as they are encamped on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River, before entering the Promised Land. This verse specifically mentions three cities of refuge: Bezer, Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan in Bashan. These cities were designated as safe havens for individuals who had committed unintentional manslaughter, allowing them to flee there to escape avengers of blood until they could stand trial.
**Themes:**
1. **Justice and Mercy:** The cities of refuge illustrate a balance between the need for justice and the provision of mercy. They provided protection for those who had accidentally caused the death of another, preventing blood feuds and ensuring a fair legal process.
2. **Law and Order:** The establishment of these cities reflects the importance of law and order in the Israelite society. It demonstrates a structured legal system where even the most serious offenses were to be handled according to established protocols.
3. **Divine Provision:** The selection of these cities underscores the theme of God's provision for His people. He gives them specific instructions and places of safety, showing His care for all aspects of their lives.
**Historical Context:**
The historical context of this verse is the period just before the Israelites' conquest of Canaan. Moses is reviewing the law and preparing the people to live according to God's commandments in the land they are about to possess. The cities mentioned were located in territories east of the Jordan that had been conquered and were allotted to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. These tribes had requested to settle in this region because it was suitable for their livestock, and they had played a significant role in the military campaigns to secure these areas. The designation of these cities as places of refuge was part of the broader legal and social framework that Moses was establishing for the nation of Israel.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1221
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֶּצֶר
Transliteration: Betser
Pronunciation: beh'-tser
Description: the same as בֶּצֶר, an inaccessible spot; Betser, a place in Palestine; also an Israelite; Bezer. - Strong's Number: H4057
There are 257 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִדְבָּר
Transliteration: midbâr
Pronunciation: mid-bawr'
Description: from דָבַר in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs); desert, south, speech, wilderness. - Strong's Number: H4334
There are 23 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִישׁוֹר
Transliteration: mîyshôwr
Pronunciation: mee-shore'
Description: or מִישֹׁר; from יָשַׁר; a level, i.e. a plain (often used (with the article prefix) as a proper name of certain districts); figuratively, concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) justice (sometimes adverbially, justly); equity, even place, plain, right(-eously), (made) straight, uprightness. - Strong's Number: H776
There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶרֶץ
Transliteration: ʼerets
Pronunciation: eh'-rets
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. - Strong's Number: H7206
There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רְאוּבֵנִי
Transliteration: Rᵉʼûwbênîy
Pronunciation: reh-oob-ay-nee'
Description: patronymic from רְאוּבֵן; a Reubenite or descendant of Reuben; children of Reuben, Reubenites. - Strong's Number: H7216
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָאמוֹת
Transliteration: Râʼmôwth
Pronunciation: raw-moth'
Description: or רָאמֹתxlit Râmôth corrected to Râʼmôth; plural of רָאמָה; heights; Ramoth, the name of two places in Palestine; Ramoth. - Strong's Number: H1568
There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גִּלְעָד
Transliteration: Gilʻâd
Pronunciation: ghil-awd'
Description: probably from גַּלְעֵד; Gilad, a region East of the Jordan; also the name of three Israelites; Gilead, Gileadite. - Strong's Number: H1425
There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גָּדִי
Transliteration: Gâdîy
Pronunciation: gaw-dee'
Description: patronymically from גָּד; a Gadite (collectively) or descendants of Gad; Gadites, children of Gad. - Strong's Number: H1474
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גּוֹלָן
Transliteration: Gôwlân
Pronunciation: go-lawn'
Description: from גּוֹלָה; captive; Golan, a place east of the Jordan; Golan. - Strong's Number: H1316
There are 53 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּשָׁן
Transliteration: Bâshân
Pronunciation: baw-shawn'
Description: of uncertain derivation; Bashan (often with the article), a region East of the Jordan; Bashan. - Strong's Number: H4520
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מְנַשִּׁי
Transliteration: Mᵉnashshîy
Pronunciation: men-ash-shee'
Description: from מְנַשֶּׁה; a Menashshite or descendant of Menashsheh; of Manasseh, Manassites.