Topical Bible: Cities: Sometimes had Suburbs

◄ Cities: Sometimes had Suburbs ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, cities often served as central hubs of administration, commerce, and worship. These urban centers were not isolated entities but were frequently surrounded by suburbs or outlying areas that supported the city's population and activities. The concept of suburbs in the biblical context refers to the surrounding lands and villages that were associated with a city, providing agricultural support and additional living space.

Biblical References

The Bible provides several instances where cities are mentioned alongside their suburbs. One notable example is found in the allocation of cities to the Levites. In the Book of Numbers, God commands Moses to assign cities to the Levites, along with their surrounding pasturelands. Numbers 35:2-3 states, "Command the Israelites to give the Levites cities to live in from the inheritance they possess, and you are also to give the Levites pasturelands around the cities. The cities will be theirs to live in, and the pasturelands will be for their cattle, flocks, and all their other livestock."

This passage highlights the practical need for suburbs, as the pasturelands provided necessary resources for the Levites' livestock, ensuring their sustenance and the maintenance of their priestly duties.

Historical and Cultural Context

In ancient Israel, cities were often fortified and served as places of refuge and defense. The suburbs, or "pasturelands," were essential for the economic stability of these cities. They provided space for agriculture, grazing, and other activities that supported the urban population. The suburbs were typically less densely populated than the city centers and were integral to the city's overall function.

The concept of suburbs is also evident in the distribution of land among the tribes of Israel. Each tribe received a portion of land that included cities and their surrounding areas. These suburbs were vital for the tribes' agricultural activities and contributed to their economic prosperity.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, the inclusion of suburbs in the biblical narrative underscores the importance of community and stewardship. The cities and their suburbs were not just places of residence but were part of a divinely ordained structure that facilitated worship, governance, and communal living. The provision of suburbs for the Levites, in particular, reflects God's care for those who served in religious capacities, ensuring they had the resources needed to fulfill their roles.

Moreover, the relationship between cities and their suburbs can be seen as a metaphor for the interconnectedness of God's people. Just as the suburbs supported the cities, the various tribes and families of Israel were called to support one another, living in harmony and mutual dependence under God's covenant.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of cities with suburbs illustrates the practical and spiritual dimensions of urban and rural life in ancient Israel. These suburbs were essential for the sustenance and functioning of the cities, reflecting a divinely ordered balance between urban centers and their surrounding lands. Through this arrangement, the Bible reveals insights into God's provision and the communal nature of His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Numbers 35:2
Command the children of Israel, that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and you shall give also to the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 21:3
And the children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra.
... chief places of concourse; in the streets of cities, in the ... Sometimes they speak
of him in a style not unworthy ... which was before their city," or had a temple ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xv paul and barnabas.htm

Plans of Marriage
... compared to a bishop"protector of cities, counsellor of ... A few pence had been enough
to give him ... to live without afterthoughts, since life is sometimes good. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bertrand/saint augustin/iv plans of marriage.htm

Princely Service.
... Cities to dwell in, and suburbs, were given them here ... they were indeed, but no help
had they, "because ... Sometimes the children of GOD are tempted to murmur when ...
/.../taylor/separation and service/part iii princely service.htm

Epistle iii. --To Fabius, Bishop of Antioch.
... torn asunder by the heathen throughout the cities and villages. ... into the Church of
any who had lapsed, and ... And sometimes the bishop himself asked the people to ...
/.../dionysius/the works of dionysius/epistle iii to fabius bishop of.htm

Rondelet, {7} the Huguenot Naturalist {8}
... Around Rondelet, in those years, sometimes indeed in his house ... Navarre and the Prince
de Conde had been arrested ... The sanitary state of the southern cities is bad ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/rondelet 7 the huguenot naturalist.htm

The Political Constitution of Egypt
... than the population of these ephemeral cities in the ... Sometimes the Pharaoh bestowed
his friendship on his dwarfs ... if we consider that the master had to provide ...
/.../chapter ithe political constitution of.htm

Chapter x
... territory extended in the direction of the cities to the ... way of comparison because
Shem really had more affinity ... "Asshur," used in the Bible sometimes for the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter x.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... rendered their voyages dangerous and sometimes interrupted them ... of their attack,
and if the cities of Byblos, Berytus, Sidon, and Tyre had escaped, their ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

Women who Witnessed the Fall of Rome
... signature of a favorable testament, and sometimes of hastening ... be published throughout
all the cities, by which ... midst of an orthodox people, had the misfortune ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/vii women who witnessed the.htm

Book 5 Footnotes
... coins of Tenedos, and those of other cities, a field ... great a judgment such mice have
sometimes been, and ... that Agrouerus, or Agrotes, the husbandman, had a much ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm