Meaning
A suburb is an area or open land surrounding a city or town.
Biblical Usage
In the Bible, suburb has a more specific meaning than the modern use of the word. In the KJV, it refers to open or surrounding land associated with a city.
The term is used especially in connection with the cities given to the Levites. The Levites were given cities to dwell in together with suburbs around those cities. The prescribed suburbs extended outward from the city and provided surrounding land for their use.
The biblical use therefore describes land adjoining and surrounding a city, rather than primarily referring to a modern residential district outside a major city.
Key References
Numbers 35:2 — The Levites were to receive cities and suburbs around the cities.
Numbers 35:5 — The prescribed measurements of the suburbs surrounding the cities are given.
Joshua 14:4 — The Levites received cities to dwell in and their suburbs.
Joshua 21:2 — The Levites requested cities to dwell in and suburbs for their cattle.
Ezekiel 48:15 — Suburbs are included in the arrangement of land associated with the city.
Ezekiel 48:17 — The suburbs of the city are described in the distribution of the land.
Related Terms
- City
- Land
- Territory
- Border
- Boundary