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Fausset's Bible Dictionary

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Concordances
Nave Topical Bible
• Walls, of the Cities
• Treasure Cities
• Cities of Refuge
•   (only first 3 shown)
Thompson Chain Reference
• Store-Cities
• Refuge, Cities of
• Fenced Cities
•   (only first 3 shown)
Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
• Walled Cities
• City; Gates (Cities Etc Listed Separately)
• Cities of Refuge Etc
Torrey Topical Textbook
• Cities of Refuge
• Cities
Dictionaries
American Tract Society
• Refuge, Cities of
• City
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
• City of Refuge
• City
Chabad Knowledge Base
• Cities of Refuge
CARM Theological Dictionary
• Cities of Refuge
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Treasure Cities
• Salt, the City of
• Refuge, Cities of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Salt, City of
• Fenced Cities
• City
•   (only first 3 shown)
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Storehouse, Storage City
• Salt, City of
• Royal City
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hitchcock Bible Names
• Shiloh (Name of a City)
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Salt, City of
• Rulers of the City
• Refuge, Cities of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hastings' NT Dictionary
• City
King James Dictionary
• City
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Salt, City of
• Refuge, Cities of
• Golden City
•   (only first 3 shown)
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Sioux City, Iowa, Diocese of
• Siena, Italy, City of
• Seville, Spain, City of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary
• City
• Cities of Refuge
People's Bible Dictionary
• Cities of Refuge
• Cities
Smith Bible Dictionary
• Treasure-cities
• Salt The City of
• Refuge Cities of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Vines' Expository Dictionary
• City
• City
Wilson's Bible Types
• City
Webster Dictionary
• Reserve City
• City
• Cities
•   (only first 3 shown)
Watson's Theological Dictionary
• Cities
• Cities of Refuge
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Arkansas City
• Atlantic City
• Baker City
•   (only first 3 shown)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Adam, City of
• Arba, City of
• Cities of Refuge
•   (only first 3 shown)
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia
• Cities of Refuge
• Refuge Cities of
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Adam (the City).
• Chariot-Cities
• Cities
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Nuttall Encyclopedia
• Bay City
• Cities of Refuge
• Cities of the Plain
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Archdiocese of Oregon City
• Cities of Refuge
• Diocese of Baker City
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Cities of Refuge
• City
• David, City of
•   (only first 3 shown)
Lexicons
• ܟ݁ܶܪܟ݁ܶܐ
• ܡܕ݂ܺܝܢ݈ܬ݁ܳܐ
• αὐτός
• ἐκεῖ
• μητρόπολις
•   (only first 3 shown)
• אַמָּה
• מִבְדָּלוֹת
• מִבְצָר , מִבְצָר
•   (only first 3 shown)

Cain first founded one (Genesis 4:16-17). The material civilization of the Cainite race was superior to that of the Sethite. To the former belonged many inventions of useful arts and luxury (Genesis 4:20-22). Real refinement and moral civilization are by no means necessary concomitants of material civilization; in these the Sethites took the lead (Genesis 4:25-26). The distinction between tent or nomadic and town life early began. The root meaning of the Hebrew terms for "city," 'ar or 'ir (from 'ur "to keep watch"), and kirat (from qarah "to approach as an enemy," Genesis 23:2) implies that a leading object of gathering into towns was security against marauders.

So, "the tower of Edar," i.e. flocks (Genesis 35:21). Of course, the first "cities" would be mere groups of rude dwellings, fenced round together. Sir H. Rawlinson supposes Rehoboth, Calah, etc., in Genesis 10:11, denote only sites of buildings afterward erected. The later dates assigned to the building of Nineveh, Babylon, etc., refer to their being rebuilt on a larger scale on the sites of the primitive towns. Unwalled towns are the symbol of peace and security (Zechariah 2:4). Special cities furnished supplies for the king's service (1 Kings 9:19; 1 Kings 4:7; 1 Chronicles 27:25; 2 Chronicles 17:12). So, our Lord represents the different servants having the number of cities assigned them in proportion to their faithfulness (Luke 19:17; Luke 19:19).

Forty-eight cities were assigned to the Levites, of which 13 were for the family of Aaron, nine were in Judah, four were in Benjamin, and six were cities of refuge. The streets of eastern cities are generally narrow, seldom allowing more than two loaded camels to pass one another. But Nineveh's admitted of chariots passing, and had large parks and gardens within (Nahum 2:4). Those of one trade generally lived on the same street (Jeremiah 37:21). The GATES are the usual place of assembly, and there courts of judges and kings are held (Genesis 23:10; Ruth 4:1).