Ben-hesed — Beth-merhak
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Ben-hesed — Beth-merhak
Ben-hesed - ben-he'-sed (ben-checedh, "son of Hesed"; the King James Version son of Hesed; the word is derived from a Hebrew root meaning "to be kind"): A commissariat officer in the service of Solomon (1 Kings 4:10).ISBE Ben-hesed.2
Ben-hur - ben-hur' (ben-chur, "son of Hur"; the King James Version son of Hur; from a Hebrew root meaning "to be white." Compare HPN , 69, note 3): One of the twelve commissariat officers in the service of Solomon (1 Kings 4:8).ISBE Ben-hur.2
Beninu - be-ni'-nu (beninu, "our son"): A Levite who with Nehemiah sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:13).ISBE Beninu.2
Ben-jaakan - ben-ja'-a-kan.ISBE Ben-jaakan.2
See BENE-JAAKAN.ISBE Ben-jaakan.3
Benjamin - ben'-ja-min (binyamin, or binyamin; Beniaein, Beniamin):ISBE Benjamin.2
1. The Patriarch: The youngest of Jacob's sons. His mother Rachel died in giving him birth. As she felt death approaching she called him Benoni, "son of my sorrow." Fearing, probably, that this might bode evil for the child--for names have always preserved a peculiar significance in the East--Jacob called him Benjamin, "son of the fight hand" (Genesis 35:17 ff). He alone of Jacob's sons was born in Palestine, between Bethel and Ephrath. Later in the chapter, in the general enumeration of the children born in Paddan-ar am, the writer fails to except Benjamin (Genesis 35:24). Joseph was his full brother. In the history where Benjamin appears as an object of solicitude to his father and brothers, we must not forget that he was already a grown man. At the time of the descent of Israel to Egypt Joseph was about 40 years of age. Benjamin was not much younger, and was himself the father of a family. The phrase in Genesis 44:20, "a little one," only describes in oriental fashion one much younger than the speaker. And as the youngest of the family no doubt he was made much of. Remorse over their heartless treatment of his brother Joseph may have made the other brothers especially tender toward Benjamin. The conduct of his brethren all through the trying experiences in Egypt places them in a more attractive light than we should have expected; and it must have been a gratification to their father (Genesis 42:1-38 ff). Ten sons of Benjamin are named at the time of their settlement in Egypt (Genesis 46:21).ISBE Benjamin.3
2. The Tribe: At the Exodus the number of men of war in the tribe is given as 35,400. At the second census it is 45,600 (Numbers 1:37; 26:41). Their place in the host was with the standard of the camp of Ephraim on the west of the tabernacle, their prince being Abidan the son of Gideoni (Numbers 2:22 f). Benjamin was represented among the spies by Palti the son of Raphu; and at the division of the land the prince of Benjamin was Elidad the son of Chislon (Numbers 13:9; 34:21).ISBE Benjamin.4
3. Territory: The boundaries of the lot that fell to Benjamin are pretty clearly indicated (Joshua 18:11 ff). It lay between Ephraim on the North and Judah on the South. The northern frontier started from the Jordan over against Jericho, and ran to the north of that town up through the mountain westward past Bethaven, taking in Bethel. It then went down by Ataroth-addar to Beth-horon the nether. From this point the western frontier ran southward to Kiriath-jearim. The southern boundary ran from Kiriath-jearim eas tward to the fountain of the waters of Netophah, swept round by the south of Jerrus and passed down through the wilderness northern by shore of the Dead Sea at the mouth of the Jordan. The river formed the eastern boundary. The lot was comparatively small. This, according to Josephus, was owing to "the goodness of the land" (Ant., V, i, 22); a description that would apply mainly to the plans of Jericho. The uplands are stony, mountainous, and poor in water; but there is much good land on the western slopes.ISBE Benjamin.5
4. Importance of Position: It will be seen from the above that Benjamin held the main avenues of approach to the highlands from both East and West: that by which Joshua led Israel past Ai from Gilgal, and the longer and easier ascents from the West, notably that along which the tides of battle so often rolled, the Valley of Aijalon, by way of the Beth-horons. Benjamin also sat astride the great highway connecting North and South, which ran along the ridge of the western range, in the district where it was easiest of defense. It was a position calling for occupation by a brave and warlike tribe such as Benjamin proved to be. His warriors were skillful archers and slingers, and they seem to have cultivated the use of both hands, which gave them a great advantage in battle (Judges 20:16; 1 Chronicles 8:40; 12:2, etc.). These characteristics are reflected in the Blessing of Jacob (Genesis 49:27). The second deliverer of Israel in the period of the Judges was Ehud, the left-handed Benjamite (Judges 3:15).ISBE Benjamin.6
5. History: The Benjamites fought against Sisera under Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:14). The story told in Judges 20:21 presents many difficulties which cannot be discussed here. It is valuable as preserving certain features of life in these lawless times when there was no details in Israel. Whatever may be said of the details, it certainly reflects the memory of some atrocity in which the Benjamites were involved and for which they suffered terrible punishment. The election of Saul as first king over united Israel naturally lent a certain prestige to the tribe. After the death of Saul they formed the backbone of Ish-bosheth's party, and most unwillingly conceded precedence to Judah in the person of David (2 Samuel 2:15, 25; 3:17 ff). It was a Benjamite who heaped curses upon David in the hour of his deep humiliation (2 Samuel 16:5); and the jealousy of Benjamin led to the revolt on David's return, which was so effectually stamped out by Joab (2 Samuel 19:1-43 f). Part of the tribe, probably the larger part, went against Judah at the disruption of the kingdom, taking Bethel with them. 1 Kings 12:20 says that none followed the house of David but the house of Judah only. But the next verse tells us that Rehoboam gathered the men of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Jeroboam. It seems probable that as Jerusalem had now become the royal city of the house of David, the adjoining parts of Benjamin proved loyal, while the more distant joined the Northern Kingdom. After the downfall of Samaria Judah assumed control of practically the whole territory of Benjamin (2 Kings 23:15, 19, etc.). Nehemiah gives the Valley of Hinnom as the south boundary of Benjamin in his time (Nehemiah 11:30), while westward it extended to include Lod and Ono. Saul of Tarsus was a member of this tribe (Philippians 3:5).ISBE Benjamin.7
(4) A great-grandson of Benjamin, son of Jacob (1 Chronicles 7:10).ISBE Benjamin.8
(5) One of those who had married a foreign wife (Ezra 10:32, and probably also Nehemiah 3:23; 12:34).ISBE Benjamin.9
Benjamin, Gate of - See JERUSALEM.ISBE Benjamin, Gate of.2
Benjamite - ben'-ja-mit: One belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, such as Ehud (Judges 3:15), Saul (1 Samuel 9:1-2), Sheba (2 Samuel 20:1), Shimei (1 Kings 2:8), etc.ISBE Benjamite.2
Beno - be'-no (beno, "his son"): The son of Jaaziah of the house of Levi (1 Chronicles 24:26-27).ISBE Beno.2
Ben-oni - ben-o'-ni (ben-'oni; huios odunes mou, "son of my sorrow"): The name given by the dying Rachel to her new-born son; changed by his father Jacob to BENJAMIN (Genesis 35:18) which see.ISBE Ben-oni.2
Ben-zoheth - ben-zo'-heth (ben-zoheth, "son of Zoheth," from a Hebrew root meaning "to be strong(?)"): A son of Ishi of the house of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:20).ISBE Ben-zoheth.2
Beon - be'-on (Numbers 32:3).ISBE Beon.2
Beor - be'-or (be`or, "destroyer"(?)):ISBE Beor.2
(1) Father of Bela, the first king of Edom (Genesis 36:32; 1 Chronicles 1:43).ISBE Beor.3
(2) The father of the seer Balaam (Numbers 22:5; 3, 15; 31:8; Deuteronomy 23:4; Joshua 13:22; 24:9, omitted in Septuagint; Micah 6:5; 2 Peter 2:15, the King James Version and the Revised Version, margin "Bosor").ISBE Beor.4
Bera - be'-ra (bera`, "gift"(?); compare HPN , 74 note): King of Sodom (Genesis 14:2) who in the battle of Siddim was subdued by Chedorlaomer.ISBE Bera.2
Beracah - be-ra'-ka (berakhah, "blessing," the King James Version Berachah): A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:3).ISBE Beracah.2
Beracah, Valley of - be-ra'-ka, ber'-a-ka (the King James Version Berachah; `emeq berkhah; koilas eulogias): After the victory of Jehoshaphat and his people over Moab and Ammon, "On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed Yahweh: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah (i.e. of blessing) unto this day" (2 Chronicles 20:26). In the Wady `Arrub there is a ruin called Breikut and the valley in its proximity receives the same name. This is on the main road from Hebron to Jerusalem and not far from Tekoa; it suits the narrative well (see PEF ,III , 352).ISBE Beracah, Valley of.2
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Beracah, Valley of.3
Berachiah - ber-a-ki'-a.ISBE Berachiah.2
See BERECHIAH.ISBE Berachiah.3
Beraiah - be-ri'-a (bera'yah, "Yah hath created"): A son of Shimei of the house of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:21).ISBE Beraiah.2
Bereave; Bereaver; Bereft - be-rev', be-rev'-er, be-reft': Bereave is frequently used in the Old Testament in the (now almost obsolete) meaning of "to deprive," "to take away," especially with reference to loss of children. The Hebrew word used here is shakhol, "to be childless," or in the Piel "to make childless" (compare Genesis 42:36 et al.). In the King James Version Ecclesiastes 4:8 (from the Hebrew chacer, "to lack") we read "and bereave my soul of good" (the Revised Version (British and American) "deprive"), and in Ezekiel 36:14 (from Hebrew kashal, "to stumble"), "neither bereave thy nations any more" (the Revised Version, margin "cause to stumble").ISBE Bereave; Bereaver; Bereft.2
Bereaver, otherwise very rare, is found the Revised Version (British and American) Ezekiel 36:13 (from Hebrew shakhol "to be childless"), "a bereaver of thy nation" (the King James Version "hast bereaved").ISBE Bereave; Bereaver; Bereft.3
Bereft is found in 1 Timothy 6:5 (from the Greek apostereo, "to rob") "bereft of the truth" (the King James Version "destitute"). The expression bereavement (the Revised Version (British and American) Isaiah 49:20) in the phrase "the children of thy bereft" means "the children born to thee in the time when God had afflicted thee."ISBE Bereave; Bereaver; Bereft.4
A. L. BreslichISBE Bereave; Bereaver; Bereft.5
Berechiah - ber-e-ki'-a (berekhyah, berekhyahu, "Yahweh blesses," HPN, 216, 287):ISBE Berechiah.2
(1) A descendant of David (1 Chronicles 3:20).ISBE Berechiah.3
(2) The father of Asaph, the singer (1 Chronicles 6:39 the King James Version "Berachiah"; 1 Chronicles 15:17).ISBE Berechiah.4
(3) A former inhabitant of Jerusalem, a Levee (1 Chronicles 9:16).ISBE Berechiah.5
(4) A doorkeeper 'for the ark at David's time (1 Chronicles 15:23).ISBE Berechiah.6
(5) One of the heads of the children of Ephraim (2 Chronicles 28:12).ISBE Berechiah.7
(6) The father of Meshullam the builder (Nehemiah 3:4, 30; 6:18).ISBE Berechiah.8
(7) The father of the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 11:7).ISBE Berechiah.9
A. L. BreslichISBE Berechiah.10
Bered (1) - be'-red (beredh, "hail," from a Hebrew root meaning "to be cold"): The son of Shuthelah of the house of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:20). Compare BECHER.ISBE Bered (1).2
Bered (2) - be'-red (beredh; Barad): A place in the Negeb mentioned in the story of Hagar (Genesis 16:14). The well Beer-lahai-roi was "between Kadesh and Bered." The Onkelos Targum renders it Chaghra', which is the usual equivalent of Shur, while the Jerusalem Targum renders it Chalutsah, which is also Shur (Exodus 15:22). Chalutsah is clearly the city of Elusu mentioned by Ptolemy and from the 4th to the 7th centuries by various ecclesiastical writers. It was an important town on the road from Palestine to Kadesh and Mount Sinai. This is without doubt the very large and important ruin Kh. Khalasa, some 70 miles South of Jerusalem on the road from Beersheba and Rehoboth. "These ruins cover an area of 15 to 20 acres, throughout which the foundations and enclosures of houses are distinctly to be traced. .... We judged that here there must have been a city with room enough for a population of 15,000 to 20,000 souls" (Robinson, BR, I, 201).ISBE Bered (2).2
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Bered (2).3
Berenice - ber'-e-nes.ISBE Berenice.2
Beri - be'-ri (beri, "wisdom"): A descendant of Asher (1 Chronicles 7:36).ISBE Beri.2
Beriah; Beriites - be-ri'-a, be-ri'-its (beri`ah, "in shouting," probably derived from a Hebrew root meaning "to make noise," or "in evil," from another Hebrew root):ISBE Beriah; Beriites.2
(1) A son of Asher and father of Heber and Malchiel (Genesis 46:17; 1 Chronicles 7:30-31; the head of the family of the Beriites, Numbers 26:44 ff).ISBE Beriah; Beriites.3
(2) A son of Ephraim, called Beriah by his father because "it went evil with his house" (1 Chronicles 7:23).ISBE Beriah; Beriites.4
(3) A descendant of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:13, 16).ISBE Beriah; Beriites.5
(4) A Levite in the line of Gershon (1 Chronicles 23:10 f).ISBE Beriah; Beriites.6
Berites - be'-rits (berim; according to Klostermann and others, bikhrim): The word is found only once in the Old Testament (2 Samuel 20:14). The passage seems to be doubtful. The suggestion of Klostermann does not improve matters any; the other proposed reading, bachrim (Vulgate, viri electi), "choice young men," is to be preferred.ISBE Berites.2
Berith - be'-rith (berith, "covenant").ISBE Berith.2
Bernice - ber-ni'-se (Bernike "victorious"): One of the shameless women of the Bible, mentioned in Acts 25:13, 23; 26:30. She was the eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1, 6, 11, 21) who ruled from 38-45 AD. Her whole life from the Jewish standpoint was incestuous. Its story is told by Josephus (Ant XIX, v, 1; XX, vii, 1-3), also by Juvenal (6, 156). Her first husband was her own uncle, Herod of Calchis. After his death she consorted with her own brother Agrippa II, with whom she listened to the impassioned defense of Paul at Caesarea before Felix. For a while she was married to King Ptolemy or Polemo of Sicily, who for her sake embraced Judaism, by the rite of circumcision. But she left him soon to return to Agrippa. Later on she figures shamefully in the lives of Vespasian and Titus, father and son. If heredity stands for anything, its lessons are forcibly taught in the history of the Herodian family.ISBE Bernice.2
Berodach-baladan - be-ro'-dak-bal'-a-dan.ISBE Berodach-baladan.2
See MERODACH-BALADAN.ISBE Berodach-baladan.3
Beroea - be-re'-a (Beroia or Berroia): #(1) A town of southwestern Macedonia, in the district of Emathia. It lay at the foot of Mt. Bermius, on a tributary of the Haliacmon, and seems to have been an ancient town, though the date of its foundation is uncertain. A passage in Thucydides (i.61) relating to the year 432 BC probably refers to another place of the same name, but an inscription (Inscr Graec, II, 5, 296i) proves its existence at the end of the 4th century BC, and it is twice mentioned by Polybius (xxvii.8; xxviii.8). After the battle of Pydba in 168 BC Berea was the first city to surrender to Rome and fell in the third of the four regions into which Macedonia was divided (Livy xliv.45; xlv.29). Paul and Silas came to Berea from Thessalonica which they had been forced by an uproar to leave, and preached in the synagogue to the Jews, many of whom believed after a candid examination of the apostolic message in the light of their Scriptures (Acts 17:10-11). A number of "Gr women of honorable estate and of men" also believed, but the advent of a body of hostile Jews from Thessalonica created a disturbance in consequence of which Paul had to leave the city, though Silas and Timothy stayed there for a few days longer (Acts 17:12-15). Perhaps the Sopater of Berea who accompanied Paul to Asia on his last journey to Jerusalem was one of his converts on this visit (Acts 20:4). Berea, which was one of the most populous cities of Macedonia early became a bishopric under the metropolitan of Thessalonica and was itself made a metropolis by Andronicus II (1283-1328): there is a tradition that the first bishop of the church was Onesimus. It played a prominent part in the struggles between the Greeks and the Bulgarians and Serbs, and was finally conquered by the Turks in 1373-74. The town, which still bears among the Greeks its ancient name (pronounced Verria) though called by the Turks Karaferia, possesses but few remains of antiquity with the exception of numerous inscriptions (Leake, Travels in Northern Greece, III, 290 if; Cousinery, Voyage dans la Macedoine, I, 57 ff; Dimitsas, Makedonia in Greek, 57 ff).ISBE Beroea.2
(2) The place where Menelaus the ex-high priest was executed by order of Antiochus Eupator, the victim, according to local custom, being cast from a tower 50 cubits high into a bed of ashes (2 Maccabees 13:3 ff). It was the ancient city of Chalab, lying about midway between Antioch and Hierapolis. Seleucus Nicator gave it the name Berea. It was a city of importance under the Moslems in the Middle Ages, when the old name again asserted itself, and remains to the present time.ISBE Beroea.4
The name "Aleppo" came to us through the Venetian traders in the days before the great overland route to India via Aleppo lost its importance through the discovery of the passage round the Cape. Aleppo is now a city of nearly 130,000 inhabitants. The governor exercises authority over a wide district extending from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean.ISBE Beroea.5
(3) (Berea); A place mentioned in 1 Maccabees 9:4. It may be identical with BEEROTH (which see) in Benjamin, a Hivite town, 8 miles North of Jerusalem, or with the modern Birez-Zait, 1 1/2 miles Northwest of Jifneh.ISBE Beroea.6
Beroth - be'-roth (1 Esdras 5:19).ISBE Beroth.2
Berothah - be-ro'-tha (Ezekiel 47:16: berothah; Septuagint Codex Vaticanus, Abthera; or BEROTHAH 2 Samuel 8:8; berothai, where for mibberothai Septuagint reads ek ton eklekton poleon, "from the select cities"): Probably two forms of the same name. Ezekiel 47:16 places it on the ideal northern frontier of Israel, between Damascus and Hamath. According to 2 Samuel 8:8 it was a city of Hadadezer, king of Zobah. In the parallel passage (1 Chronicles 18:8) Cun is given in place of Berothai. Its site is unknown. Ewald connected it with Beirut (so also apparently H. P. Smith, ICC, "Samuel," 307), but Ezekiel's description excludes this view. Others have sought it in the Wady Brissa, in the East slope of Lebanon, North of Baalbec. A more plausible conjecture identifies it with Bereitan (Brithen), a village somewhat South of Baalbec (Baedeker, Pal3, 369). Possibly, however, the ideal northern frontier line should be drawn farther south.ISBE Berothah.2
See HETHLON; ZEDAD; ZOBAH.ISBE Berothah.3
Berothite - be'-roth-it.ISBE Berothite.2
See BEEROTHITE.ISBE Berothite.3
Berries - ber'-is: Occurs in James 3:12 (the King James Version) in the phrase "olive berries" (elaiai). The Revised Version (British and American) reads simply "olives."ISBE Berries.2
See STONES, PRECIOUS.ISBE Beryl.3
Berytus - ber'-i-tus, be-ri'-tus (Berutos; Arabic: modern Beirut, Beyrout, Beyrouth): An ancient Phoenician city situated on the North side of a promontory jutting out from the base of Lebanon to the West into the Mediterranean and forming a bay on the North connected with the fable of George and the Dragon, and hence called George's Bay. The city is about 25 miles North of Sidon and about 12 South of the famous Lycus or Dog River, at the mouth of which are found the sculptured rocks bearing the monuments of the ancient kings of Egypt, Babylonia and Assyria.ISBE Berytus.2
The city has been thought by some to be the Berothai of 2 Samuel 8:8 or the Berothah of Ezekiel 47:16, but the connection in which these cities are mentioned seems to preclude the identification. The town is, however, an ancient one, for it occurs in Tell el-Amarna Letters as Beruti where it is closely connected with Gebal of which it may have been a dependency.ISBE Berytus.3
Though not mentioned in Old Testament or New Testament it appears in the history of Herod the Great as an important town where was assembled a court of 150 judges, presided over by Saturninus, a former Roman consul, to try the case which Herod brought against his two sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, who were condemned there by the Roman court (Ant., XVI, xi, 2). Beirut was a Roman colony at this time where many veterans settled and it afterward became the seat of a great Roman law school which was attended, in the days of Justinian, by thousands of students. It was utterly destroyed by an earthquake in 551 AD, and for a time was abandoned. Many remains of temples and public buildings of the Roman period remain. It rose to some importance during the Crusades and is at present the chief seaport of Syria, and has the only harbor on the coast. It is a town of about 125,000 inhabitants.ISBE Berytus.4
Berzelus - ber-ze'-lus.ISBE Berzelus.2
See ZORZELLEUS.ISBE Berzelus.3
Besai - be'-si (becay, "downtrodden"): The descendants of Besai (Nethinim) returned with Zerubbabel to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:49; Nehemiah 7:52 = Basthai, 1 Esdras 5:31).ISBE Besai.2
Beset - be-set' (euperistatos): The most common sense of this word is "to surround." This is the thought in Psalms 139:5, and teaches the omnipresence of God. Often wicked men find that the things which they have done so envelope them that they cannot escape ruin (Hosea 7:2). The reference in Hebrews 12:1 is first of all against the sin of apostasy against which repeated warning is given in this book. But the warning is also against any sin that is especially dangerous to us. It, again and again, surrounds us like a besieging army. To surrender would be traitorous and disgraceful, since the Captain of the Lord's host is with us.ISBE Beset.2
Beside - be-sid': Near to, or close to (Psalms 23:2). It is often used to refer to the mental state, to the derangement of the mind (existemi, Mark 3:21; Acts 26:24 the King James Version). Or it may refer to the condition of being out of the ordinary course of the life. A life consecrated to God and spent in the interest of humanity is so designated (2 Corinthians 5:13). It has the sense also of a state of being out of one's usual mind, but not of mental derangement, occasioned by something that causes amazement or ast onishment (Mark 5:42). Or it may refer to a state in which one is not conscious of present conditions, but is rapt in vision (Acts 10:10).ISBE Beside.2
Besides is used in the sense of in addition to or that which is over and above what has been said or is possessed (Luke 16:26; see the American Revised Version, margin "in"; Philemon 1:19).ISBE Beside.3
Besiege - be-sej'.ISBE Besiege.2
Besodeiah - bes-o-de'-ya, bes-o-di'-a (becodheyah, "in the confidence or counsel of Yah"; compare Jeremiah 23:18, 22; and HPN, 207, 221, 286): Father of Meshullam, the builder (Nehemiah 3:6).ISBE Besodeiah.2
Besom - be'-zum: Occurs only once in Scripture: "I will sweep it with the besom of destruction" (Isaiah 14:23). Refers to what was in store for Babylon. The Hebrew word maT'ate', rendered "besom," is close of kin to the one (ti'te'thiha) rendered "sweep." In early English "besom" was synonymous with "broom," and is still so used in some parts of England.ISBE Besom.2
Besor, the Brook - be'-sor, (nachal besor; Codex Alexandrinus, Bechor, Codex Vaticanus, Beana; 1 Samuel 30:9, 20-21; Josephus, Ant, VI, xiv, 1 Samuel 6:1-21): A torrent-bed (nachal) mentioned in the account of David's pursuit of the Amalekites. Thought to be Wady Ghazza, which enters the sea Southwest of Gaza.ISBE Besor, the Brook.2
Best - Of five Hebrew originals the chief is Tobh, "good," expressing quality, character. Variously used of objects pleasing to the senses, feelings, mind, moral sense, e.g. "best of the land" (Genesis 47:6); "of sheep" (1 Samuel 15:9); of persons "married to whom they think best" (Numbers 36:6); of abode, "where it liketh (the Revised Version (British and American) "pleaseth") him best" (Deuteronomy 23:16).ISBE Best.2
In Numbers 18:12 the revenues of the priests were to be "holy gifts," e.g. the "best of the oil," etc. (chelebh, "fat"); also Numbers 18:29-30, 32, the gifts of the heave-offering were to be "of all the best," indicating that the richest elements of life were to go into the support and service of the sanctuary. So "the choice (best) fruits" (zimrah, literally, "the song of the land"), a beautifully poetic expression for the most celebrated fruits (Genesis 43:11); equally choice is pazaz, "separate," "the finest (best) gold," hence "purified" (1 Kings 10:18).ISBE Best.3
Used but twice in the New Testament: (1) of spiritual gifts (kreitton, "better" the Revised Version (British and American) "greater"); 1 Corinthians 12:31); (2) of raiment (protos, "first"), "best robe" (Luke 15:22), of special significance as expressing the Father's lavish love for the repentant and returning sinner.ISBE Best.4
Bestead - be-sted' (niqsheh, "caught in a snare," "entrapped"; as Judah hard pressed in their own land by the Assyrians (Isaiah 8:21 the King James Version)): Found only here. Old English word steden meaning "place," hence, "set," "beset"; usually with "ill," "sorely bested." In the Revised Version (British and American) rendered "sore distressed."ISBE Bestead.2
Bestiality - bes-ti-al'-i-ti.ISBE Bestiality.2
Bestow - be-sto': The seven Hebrew words rendered by this term variously mean "to put" or "place," "to give"; "do," "deposit," as e.g. to locate chariots and horsemen in cities (1 Kings 10:26); or give a blessing (Exodus 32:29). Four Greek words so translated signify "to give," "to labor," "to feed," "to place around"; as sunago, "to stow away goods" (Luke 12:17); or psomizo, "give away" (1 Corinthians 13:3). The term has richest significance in expressing God's abundant gift of grace and love, didomi (2 Corinthians 8:1 the King James Version; 1 John 3:1).ISBE Bestow.2
Betah - be'-ta (2 Samuel 8:8).ISBE Betah.2
Betane - bet'-a-ne (Baitane): A place named in Judith 1:9, among those to which the messengers of Nebuchadnezzar were sent. From the order in which they are named we should seek for it South of Jerusalem. It may be identical with Beit `Ainun, about 3 miles North of Hebron.ISBE Betane.2
Beten - be'-ten (beTen; Batne): A city of Asher mentioned between Hall and Achshaph (Joshua 19:25). Eusebius, Onomasticon places it 8 Roman miles East of Ptolemais, giving it the name Bethseten. It may be identical with the modern village el-B`aneh, but no certainty is possible.ISBE Beten.2
Beth (1) - bath (b): The second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. With the daghesh it is transliterated in this dictionary as "b," and, without the daghesth, as "bh" ( = "v"). It came also to be used for the number two (2) and with the dieresis for 2,000. For name, etc., see ALPHABET; BAYITH.ISBE Beth (1).2
Beth (2) - beth (in proper names; Greek transliteration in Septuagint, beth, baith, or beth): This is the English transliteration for the Hebrew beth, meaning "house," "tent," "place." It occurs in many compound proper names formed similarly to the method of compounding words in the German language, as shown in the articles immediately following. Thus we have beth `anath or `anoth = "house of replies" (Joshua 19:38; Judges 1:33); beth'el = "house of God" (Genesis 12:8; 13:3), etc. We also find the word in hybrid formations, e.g. Bethphage = Bethphage = "fig house" (Matthew 21:1).ISBE Beth (2).2
Frank E. HirschISBE Beth (2).3
Bethabara - beth-ab'-a-ra beth`abharah; Bethabara, "house of the ford"): According to the King James Version (following Textus Receptus of the New Testament) the place where John baptized (John 1:28). the Revised Version (British and American) (with Tischendorf, Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek following Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, Codex Alexandrinus, Codex Ephraemi) reads BETHANY. It is distinguished from the Bethany of Lazarus and his sisters as being "beyond the Jordan." The reading "Bethabara" became current owing to the advocacy of Origen. Various suggestions have been made to explain the readings. G. A. Smith (HGHL) suggests that Bethany ("house of the ship") and Bethabara ("house of the ford") are names for the same place. Bethabara has also been identified with Bethbarah, which, however, was probably not on the Jordan but among the streams flowing into it (Judges 7:24). It is interesting to note that LXXB reads Baithabara for Massoretic Text Beth-`arabhah, one of the cities of Benjamin (Joshua 18:22). If this be correct, the site is in Judea.ISBE Bethabara.2
Another solution is sought in the idea of a corruption of the original name into Bethany and Bethabara, the name having the consonants n, b and r after Beth. In Joshua 13:27 (Septuagint, Codex Vaticanus) we find Baithanabra for Bethnimrah (Massoretic Text), and Sir George Grove in DB (arts. "Bethabara" and "Beth-nimrah") identifies Bethabara and Beth-nimrah. The site of the latter was a few miles above Jericho (see BETH-NIMRAH), "immediately accessible to Jerusalem and all Judea" (compare Matthew 3:5; Mark 1:5, and see article "Bethany" inEB ). This view has much in its favor.ISBE Bethabara.3
Then, again, as Dr. G. Frederick Wright observes: "The traditional site is at the ford east of Jericho; but as according to John 1:29, 35, 43 it was only one day's journey from Cana of Galilee, while according to John 10:40; 3, 6, 27 it was two or three days from Bethany, it must have been well up the river toward Galilee. Conder discovered a well-known ford near Beisan called Abarah, near the mouth of the valley of Jezreel. This is 20 miles from Cana and 60 miles from Bethany, and all the conditions of the place fit in with the history."ISBE Bethabara.4
See also BETHANY (2).ISBE Bethabara.5
Beth-anath - beth-a'-nath (beth`anath; Bainathath): A city in the territory of Naphtali, named with Horem and Bethshemesh (Joshua 19:38; Judges 1:33). It is represented by the modern village Ainatha, about 12 miles Northwest of Cafed. The name signifies the "house" or "temple" of Anath, a goddess of the Canaanites.ISBE Beth-anath.2
Beth-anoth - beth-a'-noth (beth`anoth; Baithanam, probably "House of Anath"--a god; Joshua 15:59): The ruin of Beit `Ainun, 1 1/2 miles Southeast of Halhul, in the neighborhood also of Bethzur and Gedor--places mentioned in association with it as towns in the hill country of Judah--appears to be a probable site. The present surface ruins belong to later ages.ISBE Beth-anoth.2
Bethany - beth'-a-ni (Bethania):ISBE Bethany.2
(1) A village, 15 furlongs from Jerusalem (John 11:18), on the road to Jericho, at the Mount of Olives (Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29), where lived "Simon the leper" (Mark 14:3) and Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:18 f). This village may justifiably be called the Judean home of Jesus, as He appears to have preferred to lodge there rather than in Jerusalem itself (Matthew 21:17; Mark 11:11). Here occurred the incident of the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-57) and the feast at the house of Simon (Matthew 26:1-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-50; John 1:2:John 1:1-8). The Ascension as recorded in Luke 24:50-51 is thus described: "He led them out until they were over against Bethany: and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven."ISBE Bethany.3
Bethany is today el `Azareyeh ("the place of Lazarus"--the L being displaced to form the article). It is a miserably untidy and tumble-down village facing East on the Southeast slope of the Mount of Olives, upon the carriage road to Jericho. A fair number of fig, almond and olive trees surround the houses. The traditional tomb of Lazarus is shown and there are some remains of medieval buildings, besides rock-cut tombs of much earlier date (PEF, III, 27, Sheet XVII).ISBE Bethany.4
(2) "Bethany beyond the Jordan" (John 1:28; the King James Version Bethabara; Bethabara, a reading against the majority of the manuscripts, supported by Origen on geographical grounds): No such place is known. Grove suggested that the place intended is BETH-NIMRAH (which see), the modern Tell nimrin, a singularly suitable place, but hard to fit in with John 1:28; compare John 2:1. The traditional site is the ford East of Jericho.ISBE Bethany.5
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Bethany.6
Beth-arabah - beth-ar'-a-ba (beth ha-`arabhah; Baitharaba, "place of the Arabah"):ISBE Beth-arabah.2
(1) One of the 6 cities of Judah "in the wilderness" (Joshua 15:61), on the borders of Benjamin and Judah (Joshua 15:6; 18:18 Septuagint). "The wilderness of Judah" is the barren land West of the Dead Sea. Beth-arabah is not yet identified.ISBE Beth-arabah.3
(2) One of the cities of Benjamin (Joshua 18:22). Septuagint (Codex Vaticanus) reads Baithabara, and this may be correct. The names are early confounded.ISBE Beth-arabah.4
See BETHABARA.ISBE Beth-arabah.5
Betharam - beth-a'-ram (beth haram).ISBE Betharam.2
See BETH-HARAM.ISBE Betharam.3
Beth-arbel - beth-ar'-bel (beth 'arbe'l): The scene of a terrific disaster inflicted on the inhabitants by Shalman (Hosea 10:14). If the place intended was in Palestine, and was not the famous city of that name on the Euphrates, then probably it should be identified either with Irbid (or Irbil) in Galilee, or with Irbid, which corresponds to Arbela of the Eusebius, Onomasticon, East of the Jordan, about 12 miles Southeast of Gadara. If, as Schrader thinks (COT, II, 140), Shalman stands for the Moabite king, Shalamanu, a tributary of Tiglath-pileser, the eastern town would be the more natural identification. Possibly however the reference is to Shalmaneser III or IV. For the Galilean site, see ARBELA; see alsoDB , under the wordISBE Beth-arbel.2
Bethasmoth - beth-az'-moth (the King James Version Bethsamos; Baithasmoth (1 Esdras 5:18); corresponds to Beth-azmaveth in Nehemiah 7:28): A town in the territory of Benjamin, and may be identified with the modern el-Hizmeh.ISBE Bethasmoth.2
See AZMAVETH.ISBE Bethasmoth.3
Beth-aven - beth-a'-ven (beth 'awen; Baithon, Baithaun): A place on the northern boundary of the territory of Benjamin (Joshua 18:12) East of Bethel, near Ai (Joshua 7:2), West of Michmash (1 Samuel 13:5; 14:23). Beth-aven, "house of vanity," i.e. "idolatry," may possibly represent an original beth-'on, "house of wealth." Wilson (PEFS, 1869, 126) suggests Khirbet An, West of Michmash. The name is used in mockery for Bethel by Hosea (4:15; 10:5,8, etc.; compare Amos 5:5).ISBE Beth-aven.2
Beth-azmaveth - beth-az-ma'-veth (Nehemiah 7:28 ).ISBE Beth-azmaveth.2
See AZMAVETH.ISBE Beth-azmaveth.3
Beth-baal-meon - beth-ba-al-me'-on (Joshua 13:17).ISBE Beth-baal-meon.2
See BAAL-MEON.ISBE Beth-baal-meon.3
Beth-barah - beth-ba'-ra (beth barah; Baithera): Perhaps Beth-`abharu, the guttural being lost in copying. It is a ford which the Midianites were expected to pass in fleeing from Gideon. Messengers were therefore sent by Gideon to the Ephraimites bidding them "take before them the waters, as far as Beth-barah, even (the Revised Version, margin "and also") the Jordan" (Judges 7:24). "The waters" were the streams emptying themselves into the Jordan: "even the Jordan" is a gloss on "the waters." Between the Jordan and the modern Wady Fari`ah an enemy could be entrapped; it is therefore probable that Beth-barah was on that stream near its entrance into the Jordan.ISBE Beth-barah.2
See BETHABARA.ISBE Beth-barah.3
Bethbasi - beth-ba'-si (Baithbasi): The name may mean "place of marshes" = Hebrew beth-betsi. According to G. A. Smith there is a Wady el-Bassah East of Tekoa in the wilderness of Judea. The name means "marsh," which Dr. Smith thinks impossible, and really "an echo of an ancient name." Jonathan and Simon repaired the ruins of the fortified place "in the desert" (1 Maccabees 9:62, 64). Josephus reads Bethalaga, i.e. Beth-hoglah (Ant., XIII, i, 5). Peshitta version reads Beth-Yashan (see JESHANAH), which Dr. Cheyne thinks is probably correct. Thus the origin of the name and the site of the town are merely conjectural.ISBE Bethbasi.2
Beth-biri - beth-bir'-i (the King James Version Beth-birei, beth-bir'-e-i) beth bir'i; oikos Braoumseoreim; 1 Chronicles 4:31 (called in Joshua 19:6, Beth-lebaoth, "abode of lions")): A site belonging to Simeon in the Negeb--unidentified.ISBE Beth-biri.2
Beth-car - beth'-kar (beth-kar; Baithchor, Belchor): "And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, Until they came under Beth-car" (1 Samuel 7:11). `Ain Karem has been suggested; if Mizpah is nebi Samwil then this identification is probable, as the pursuit would be along the deep Wady beit Hannineh--a natural line of retreat for the Philistines to take.ISBE Beth-car.2
See BETH-HACCHEREM.ISBE Beth-car.3
Beth-dagon - beth-da'-gon (bethdaghon; Bethdagon):ISBE Beth-dagon.2
(1) A town in the Shephelah of Judah named with Gederoth, Naamah, and Makkedah (Joshua 15:41). It may be represented by the modern Beit Dijan, about 6 miles Southeast of Jaffa. This however is a modern site, and not in the Shephelah. Nearly 2 miles to the south is Khirbet Dajan, a Roman site. The connection in which it occurs leads us to expect a position farther SoutheastISBE Beth-dagon.3
(2) A city on the border of Asher (Joshua 19:27) which Conder would identify with Tell D'auk, near the mouth of the Belus, in the plan of Acre.ISBE Beth-dagon.4
The name seems to have been of frequent occurrence. There is a Beit Dejan about 6 miles East of Nablus, and Josephus speaks of a fortress called Dagon above Jericho (Ant., XII, viii, 1; BJ, I, ii, 3). This would seem to indicate a widespread worship of Dagon. But the name may mean "house of corn."ISBE Beth-dagon.5
Beth-diblathaim - beth-dib-la-tha'-im (beth dibhlathayim; oikos Deblaithaim, literally, "house of Diblathaim"): A town in Moab mentioned with Dibon and Nebo (Jeremiah 48:22). It is probably identical with Almondiblathaim (Numbers 33:46 f). Mesha claims to have fortified it along with Mehedeba and Ba`al-me`on (see MOABITE STONE). The place is not yet identified.ISBE Beth-diblathaim.2
Beth-eden - beth-e'-den (Amos 1:5 King James Version, margin; English Versions of the Bible "house of Eden").ISBE Beth-eden.2
See CHILDREN OF EDEN.ISBE Beth-eden.3
Bethel - beth'-el (beth-'el; Baithel and oikos theou, literally, "house of God"):ISBE Bethel.2
(1) A town near the place where Abraham halted and offered sacrifice on his way south from Shechem.ISBE Bethel.3
1. Identification and Description: It lay West of Ai (Genesis 12:8). It is named as on the northern border of Benjamin (the southern of Ephraim, Joshua 16:2), at the top of the ascent from the Jordan valley by way of Ai (Joshua 18:13). It lay South of Shiloh (Judges 21:19). Eusebius, Onomasticon places it 12 Roman miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Neapolis. It is represented by the modern Beitin, a village of some 400 inhabitants, which stands on a knoll East of the road to Nablus. There are four springs which yield supplies of good water. In ancient times these were supplemented by a reservoir hewn in the rock South of the town. The surrounding country is bleak and barren, the hills being marked by a succession of stony terraces, which may have suggested the form of the ladder in Jacob's famous dream.ISBE Bethel.4
2. The Sanctuary: The town was originally called Luz (Genesis 28:19, etc.). When Jacob came hither on his way to Paddan-aram we are told that he lighted upon "the place" (Genesis 28:11. Hebrew). The Hebrew maqom, like the cognate Arabic maqam, denotes a sacred place or sanctuary. The maqom was doubtless that at which Abraham had sacrificed, East of the town. In the morning Jacob set up "for a pillar" the stone which had served as his pillow (Genesis 28:18; see PILLAR, matstsebhah), poured oil upon it and called the name of the place Bethel, "house of God"; that is, of God whose epiphany was for him associated with the pillar. This spot became a center of great interest, lending growing importance to the town. In process of time the name Luz disappeared, giving place to that of the adjoining sanctuary, town and sanctuary being identified. Jacob revisited the place on his return from Paddan-aram; here Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under "the oak" (Genesis 35:6 f). Probably on rising ground East of Bethel Abraham and Lot stood to view the uninviting highlands and the rich lands of the Jordan valley (Genesis 13:9 ff).ISBE Bethel.5
3. History: Bethel was a royal city of the Canaanites (Joshua 12:16). It appears to have been captured by Joshua (Joshua 8:7), and it was allotted to Benjamin (Joshua 18:22). In Judges 1:22 ff it is represented as held by Canaanites, from whom the house of Joseph took it by treachery (compare 1 Chronicles 7:28). Hither the ark was brought from Gilgal (Judges 2:1, Septuagint). Israel came to Bethel to consult the Divine oracle (Judges 20:18), and it became an important center of worship (1 Samuel 10:3). The home of the prophetess Deborah was not far off (Judges 4:5). Samuel visited Bethel on circuit, judging Israel (1 Samuel 7:16).ISBE Bethel.6
With the disruption of the kingdom came Bethel's greatest period of splendor and significance. To counteract the influence of Jerusalem as the national religious center Jeroboam embarked on the policy which won for him the unenviable reputation of having "made Israel to sin." Here he erected a temple, set up an image, the golden calf, and established an imposing ritual. It became the royal sanctuary and the religious center of his kingdom (1 Kings 12:29 ff; Amos 7:13). He placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made (1 Kings 12:32). To Bethel came the man of God from Judah who pronounced doom against Jeroboam (1 Kings 13:1-34), and who, having been seduced from duty by an aged prophet in Bethel, was slain by a lion. According to the prophets Amos and Hosea the splendid idolatries of Bethel were accompanied by terrible moral and religious degradation. Against the place they launched the most scathing denunciations, declaring the vengeance such things must entail (Amos 3:14; 4:4; 5:11 m; Amos 9:1; Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 5, 8, 15). With the latter the name Bethel gives place in mockery to Beth-aven. Bethel shared in the downfall of Samaria wrought by the Assyrians; and according to an old tradition, Shalmaneser possessed himself of the golden calf (compare Jeremiah 48:13). The priest, sent by the Assyrians to teach the people whom they had settled in the land how to serve Yahweh, dwelt in Bethel (2 Kings 17:28). King Josiah completed the demolition of the sanctuary at Bethel, destroying all the instruments of idolatry, and harr ying the tombs of the idolaters. The monument of the man of God from Judah he allowed to stand (2 Kings 23:4, 25). The men of Bethel were among those who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:28; Nehemiah 7:32), and it is mentioned as reoccupied by the Benjamites (Nehemiah 11:31). Zechariah (7:2) records the sending of certain men from Jerusalem in the 4th year of King Darius to inquire regarding particular religious practices. Bethel was one of the towns fortified by Bacchides in the time of the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 9:50; Ant, XIII, i, 3). It is named again as a small town which, along with Ephraim, was taken by Vespasian as he approached Jerusalem (BJ, IV, ix, 9).ISBE Bethel.7
(2) A city in Judah which in 1 Samuel 30:27 is called Bethel; in Joshua 19:4 Bethul; and in 1 Chronicles 4:30 Bethuel. The site has not been identified. In Joshua 15:30 Septuagint gives Baithel in Judah, where the Hebrew has Kecil--probably a scribal error.ISBE Bethel.8
Bethel, Mount - (har beth-'el; Baithel louza (1 Samuel 13:2, the Revised Version (British and American) "the mount of Bethel"; Joshua 16:1)): The hill which stretches from the North of the town to Tell `Acur. The road to Shechem lies along the ridge. An army in possession of these heights easily commanded the route from north to south.ISBE Bethel, Mount.2
Bethelite - beth'-el-it: The term applied to a man who in the days of Ahab rebuilt Jericho (1 Kings 16:34).ISBE Bethelite.2
Beth-emek - beth-e'-mek (beth ha-'emeq; Bethaemek, "house of the valley"): A town in the territory of Zebulun (Joshua 19:27). It has not been identified, but must be sought somewhere East of Acre, not far from Kabul, the ancient Cabul.ISBE Beth-emek.2
Bether - be'-ther (bether): In Song of Solomon 2:17 mention is made of "the mountains of Bether." It is doubtful if a proper name is intended. The Revised Version, margin has, "perhaps, the spice malobathron." A Bether is prominent in late Jewish history as the place where the Jews resisted Hadrian under Bar Cochba in 135 AD. Its identity with Bittir, 7 miles Southwest of Jerusalem, is attested by an inscription.ISBE Bether.2
Bethesda - be-thez'-da (Bethesda; Textus Receptus of the New Testament, John 5:2 (probably beth chicda', "house of mercy"); other forms occur as Bethzatha and Bethsaida):ISBE Bethesda.2
1. The Conditions of the Narrative: John 5:2: The only data we have is the statement in John 5:2-4: "Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered." Many ancient authorities add (as in the Revised Version, margin) "waiting for the moving of the water: for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water," etc.ISBE Bethesda.3
The name does not help as to the site, no such name occurs elsewhere in Jerusalem; the mention of the sheep gate is of little assistance because the word "gate" is supplied, and even were it there, its site is uncertain. Sheep "pool" or "place" is at least as probable; the tradition about the "troubling of the water" (which may be true even if the angelic visitant may be of the nature of folk-lore) can receive no rational explanation except by the well-known phenomenon, by no means uncommon in Syria and always considered the work of a supernatural being, of an intermittent spring. The arrangement of the five porches is similar to that demonstrated by Dr. F. Bliss as having existed in Roman times as the Pool of Siloam; the story implies that the incident occurred outside the city walls, as to carry a bed on the Sabbath would not have been forbidden by Jewish traditional law.ISBE Bethesda.4
2. The Traditional Site: Tradition has varied concerning the site. In the 4th century, and probably down to the Crusades, a pool was pointed out as the true site, a little to the Northwest of the present Stephen's Gate; it was part of a twin pool and over it were erected at two successive periods two Christian churches. Later on this site was entirely lost and from the 13th century the great Birket Israel, just North of the Temple area, was pointed out as the site.ISBE Bethesda.5
Within the last quarter of a century, however, the older traditional site, now close to the Church of Anne, has been rediscovered, excavated and popularly accepted. This pool is a rock-cut, rain-filled cistern, 55 ft. long X 12 ft. broad, and is approached by a steep and winding flight of steps. The floor of the rediscovered early Christian church roofs over the pool, being supported upon five arches in commemoration of the five porches. At the western end of the church, where probably the font was situated, there was a fresco, now much defaced and fast fading, representing the angel troubling the waters.ISBE Bethesda.6
3. A More Probable Site: Although public opinion supports this site, there is much to be said for the proposal, promulgated by Robinson and supported by Conder and other good authorities, that the pool was at the "Virgin's Fount" (see GIHON), which is today an intermittent spring whose "troubled" waters are still visited by Jews for purposes of cure. As the only source of "living water" near Jerusalem, it is a likely spot for there to have been a "sheep pool" or "sheep place" for the vast flocks of sheep coming to Jerusalem in connection with the temple ritual. See Biblical World,XXV , 80 ff.ISBE Bethesda.7
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Bethesda.8
Beth-ezel - beth-e'-zel (beth ha-'etsel; oikos echomenous autes; literally, "adjoining house"): A place named along with other cities in the Philistine plain (Micah 1:11). The site has not been identified. By some it is thought to be the same as Azel of Zechariah 14:5; but see AZEL.ISBE Beth-ezel.2
Beth-gader - beth-ga'-der (bethgadher; Baithgedor, or (Codex Vaticanus) Baithgaidon): The name occurs between those of Bethlehem and Kiriath-jearim in 1 Chronicles 2:51. It is possibly identical with Geder of Joshua 12:13.ISBE Beth-gader.2
Beth-gamul - beth-ga'-mul (beth gamul; oikos Gaimol; Codex Sinaiticus, Gamola): A city in Moab named with Dibon, Kiriathaim and Beth-meon (Jeremiah 48:23). Conder places it at Umm el-Jamal, toward East of the plateau, S. of Medeba (HDB, under the word). Others (Guthe, Kurz. bib. Worterbuch, under the word; Buhl, GAP, 268, etc.) favor Jemeil, a site 6 miles East of Dhiban. Since the town is not mentioned among the cities of Israel Buhl doubts if it should be sought North of the Arnon.ISBE Beth-gamul.2
Beth-gilgal - beth-gil'-gal (beth ha-gilgal; Bethaggalgal; the King James Version house of Gilgal): The Gilgal which lay in the plain East of Jericho (Nehemiah 12:29).ISBE Beth-gilgal.2
Beth-haccherem - beth-ha-ke'-rem, beth-hak'-e-rem (the King James Version Beth-haccerem; beth ha-kerem; Bethachcharma (see DB ), "place of the vineyard"):A district (in Nehemiah 3:14) ruled over by one, Malchijah; mentioned in Jeremiah 6:1 as a suitable signal station. From its association with Tekoa (Jeremiah 6:1) and from the statement by Jerome that it was a village which he could see daily from Bethlehem, the Frank mountain (Herodium) has been suggested. It certainly would be a unique place for a beacon. More suitable is the fertile vineyard country around `Ain Karem (the "spring of the vineyard"). On the top of Jebel `Ali, above this village, are some remarkable cairns which, whatever their other uses, would appear to have been once beacons. `Ain Karem appears as Carem in the Septuagint (Joshua 15:59).ISBE Beth-haccherem.2
See BETH-CAR.ISBE Beth-haccherem.3
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Beth-haccherem.4
Beth-haggan - beth-hag'-an (beth-ha-gan, "house of the garden"). The place where Ahaziah was slain by Jehu (2 Kings 9:27). The words are rendered in English Versions of the Bible "the garden house," but some take them to be a proper name. The location is doubtful.ISBE Beth-haggan.2
Beth-hanan; Elon-beth-hanan - beth-ha'-nan (1 Kings 4:9).ISBE Beth-hanan; Elon-beth-hanan.2
See ELON.ISBE Beth-hanan; Elon-beth-hanan.3
Beth-haram - beth-ha'-ram (beth haram; Baitharan; Codex Alexandrinus, Baitharra; the King James Version wrongly, Beth-Aram): An Amorite city taken and fortified by the Gadites (Joshua 13:27; Numbers 32:36; in the latter passage the name appears as Beth-haran, probably the original form). It corresponds to Bethramphtha of Josephus (Ant., XVIII, ii, 1), which, according to Eusebius, was the name used by the Syrians. Here was a palace of Herod (Ant., XVII, x, 6; BJ, II, iv, 2). Eusebius, Onomasticon says it was called Livias. Josephus says it was fortified by Herod Antipas, who called it Julias for the wife of Augustus (Ant., XVIII, ii, 1; BJ, II, ix, 1). The name would be changed to Julias when Livia, by the will of the emperor, was received into the Gens Julia. It is represented by Tell er-Rameh in Wady Chesban, about 6 miles East of Jordan.ISBE Beth-haram.2
Beth-haran - beth-ha'-ran (beth haran): A fenced city East of the Jordan (Numbers 32:36) identical with BETH-HARAM, which see.ISBE Beth-haran.2
Beth-hoglah - beth-hog'-la (beth-choghlah; Septuagint Baithaglaam, "house of partridge"): Mentioned in Joshua 15:6; 18:19, identified with Ain Haijab ("partridge spring") lying between Jericho and the Jordan, where in 1874 there was still a ruined Greek monastery called Kasr Hajlah, dating from the 12th century. The ruins are now destroyed. In Joshua 15:5; 18:19 it is said to be at the mouth of the Jordan on a Tongue (Lisan) of the Salt Sea. But it is now several miles inland, probably because the Jordan has silt edition up a delta to that extent.ISBE Beth-hoglah.2
See DEAD SEA.ISBE Beth-hoglah.3
George Frederick WrightISBE Beth-hoglah.4
Beth-horon - beth-ho'-ron (beth-choron (other Hebrew forms occur); Bethoron, probably the "place of the hollow"; compare Hauran, "the hollow"):ISBE Beth-horon.2
1. The Ancient Towns: The name of two towns, Beth-horon the Upper (Joshua 16:5) and Beth-horon the Lower (Joshua 16:3), said to have been built (1 Chronicles 7:24) by Sheerah, the daughter of Beriah. The border line between Benjamin and Ephraim passed by the Beth-horons (Joshua 16:5; 21:22), the cities belonging to the latter tribe and therefore, later on, to the Northern Kingdom. Solomon "built Beth-horon the upper, and Beth-horon the nether, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars" (2 Chronicles 8:5; 1 Kings 9:17).ISBE Beth-horon.3
From Egyptian sources (Muller, As. und Europa, etc.) it appears that Beth-horon was one of the places conquered by Shishak of Egypt from Rehoboam. Again, many centuries later, Bacchides repaired Beth-horon, "with high walls, with gates and with bars and in them he set a garrison, that they might work malice upon ("vex") Israel" (1 Maccabees 9:50, 51), and at another time the Jews fortified it against Holofernes (Judith 4:4, 5).ISBE Beth-horon.4
2. The Modern Beit Ur el foqa and el tachta: These two towns are now known as Beit Ur el foqa (i.e. "the upper") and Beit Ur el tachta (i.e. "the lower"), two villages crowning hill tops, less than 2 miles apart; the former is some 800 ft. higher than the latter. Today these villages are sunk into insignificance and are off any important lines of communication, but for many centuries the towns occupying their sites dominated one of the most historic roads in history.ISBE Beth-horon.5
3. The Pass of the Beth-horons: When (Joshua 10:10) Joshua discomfited the kings of the Amorites "he slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the `Ascent of Beth-horon.' " When the Philistines were opposing King Saul at Michmash they sent a company of their men to hold "the way of Beth-horon."ISBE Beth-horon.6
This pass ascends from the plain of Ajalon (now Yalo) and climbs in about 3/4 hr. to Beit Ur el tachta (1,210 ft.); it then ascends along the ridge, with valleys lying to north and south, and reaches Beit Ur el foqa (2,022 ft.), and pursuing the same ridge arrives in another 4 1/2 miles at the plateau to the North of el Jib (Gibeon). At intervals along this historic route traces of the ancient Roman paving are visible. It was the great highroad into the heart of the land from the earliest times until about three or four centuries ago. Along this route came Canaanites, Israelites, Philistines, Egyptians, Syrians, Romans, Saracens and Crusaders. Since the days of Joshua (Joshua 10:10) it has frequently been the scene of a rout. Here the Syrian general Seron was defeated by Judas Maccabeus (1 Maccabees 3:13-24), and six years later Nicanor, retreating from Jerusalem, was here defeated and slain (1 Maccabees 7:39 ff; Josephus, Ant, XII, x, 5). Along this pass in 66 AD the Roman general Cestius Gallus was driven in headlong flight before the Jews.ISBE Beth-horon.7
Now the changed direction of the highroad to Jerusalem has left the route forsaken and almost forgotten. See PEF ,III , 86, ShXVII .ISBE Beth-horon.8
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Beth-horon.9
Beth-horon, the Battle of - 1. The Political SituationISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.2
2. Joshua's StrategyISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.3
3. Joshua's Command to the Sun and MoonISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.4
4. The Astronomical Relations of the Sun and MoonISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.5
5. The "Silence" of the SunISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.6
6. "Yahweh Fought for Israel"ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.7
7. The Afternoon's MarchISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.8
8. The Chronicle and the Poem Independent WitnessesISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.9
9. Date of the EventsISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.10
10. The Records Are Contemporaneous with the EventsISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.11
1. The Political Situation: The battle which gave to the Israelites under Joshua the command of southern Palestine has always excited interest because of the astronomical marvel which is recorded to have then taken place.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.12
In invading Palestine the Israelites were not attacking a single coherent state, but a country occupied by different races and divided, like Greece at a later period, into a number of communities, each consisting practically of but a single city and the cultivated country around it. Thus Joshua destroyed the two cities of Jericho and Ai without any interference from the other Amorites. The destruction of Jericho gave him full possession of the fertile valley of the Jordan; the taking of Ai opened his way up to the ridge which forms the backbone of the country, and he was able to lead the people unopposed to the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim for the solemn reading of the Law. But when the Israelites returned from this ceremony a significant division showed itself amongst their enemies. Close to Ai, Joshua's most recent conquest, was Beeroth, a small town inhabited by Hivites; and no doubt because in the natural order of events Beeroth might look to be next attacked, the Hivites determined to make terms with Israel. An embassy was therefore sent from Gibeon, their chief city, and Joshua and the Israelites, believing that it came from a distant land not under the Ban, entered into the proposed alliance.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.13
The effect on the political situation was immediate. The Hivites formed a considerable state, relatively speaking; their cities were well placed on the southern highland, and Gibeon, their capital, was one of the most important fortresses of that district, and only 6 miles distant from Jerusalem, the chief Amorite stronghold. The Amorites recognized at once that, in view of this important defection, it was imperative for them to crush the Gibeonites before the Israelites could unite with them, and this they endeavored to do. The Gibeonites, seeing themselves attacked, sent an urgent message to Joshua, and he at the head of his picked men made a night march up from Gilgal and fell upon the Amorites at Gibeon the next day and put them to flight.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.14
2. Joshua's Strategy: We are not told by which route he marched, but it is significant that the Amorites fled by the way of Beth-horon; that is to say, not toward their own cities, but away from them. A glance at the map shows that this means that Joshua had succeeded in cutting their line of retreat to Jerusalem. He had probably therefore advanced upon Gibeon from the south, instead of by the obvious route past Ai which he had destroyed and Beeroth with which he was in alliance. But, coming up from Gilgal by the ravines in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, he was exposed to a great danger, for the Amorites might have caught him before he had gained a footing on the plateau, and have taken him at a complete disadvantage. It was thus that the eleven tribes suffered such terrible loss at the hands of the Benjamites in this very region during the first inter-tribal war, and probably the military significance of the first repulse from Ai was of the same character; the forces holding the high ground being able to overwhelm their opponent s without any fear of reprisals.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.15
It would seem possible, therefore, that Joshua may have repeated, on a larger scale, the tactics he employed in his successful attack upon Ai. He may have sent one force to draw the Amorites away from Gibeon, and when this was safely done, may have led the rest of his army to seize the road to Jerusalem, and to break up the forces besieging Gibeon. If so, his strategy was successful up to a certain point. He evidently led the Israelites without loss up to Gibeon, crushed the Amorites there, and cut off their retreat toward Jerusalem. He failed in one thing. In spite of the prodigious efforts which he and his men had made, the greater part of the Amorite army succeeded in escaping him and gained a long start in their flight, toward the northwest, through the two Beth-horons.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.16
3. Joshua's Command to the Sun and Moon: It was at this point that the incident occurred upon which attention has been chiefly fixed. The Book of Jashar (which seems to have been a collection of war songs and other ballads) ascribes to Joshua the command:ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.17
`Sun, be thou silent upon (be) Gibeon (compare Revised Version margin);ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.18
And thou, Moon, in (be) the valley of Aijalon.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.19
And the Sun was silent,ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.20
And the Moon stayed,ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.21
Until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies'ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.22
(Joshua 10:12, 23).ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.23
And the prose narrative continues, "The sun stayed in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day."ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.24
4. The Astronomical Relations of the Sun and Moon:ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.25
In these two, the ballad and the prose chronicle, we have several distinct astronomical relations indicated. The sun to Joshua was associated with Gibeon, and the sun can naturally be associated with a locality in either of two positions: it may be overhead to the observer, in which case he would consider it as being above the place where he himself was standing; or on the other hand, he might see the locality on the skyline and the sun rising or setting just behind it. In the present instance there is no ambiguity, for the chronicle distinctly states that the sun was in "the midst of heaven"; literally, in the halving of the heaven, that is to say overhead. This is very important because it assures us that Joshua must have been at Gibeon when he spoke, and that it must have been noonday of summer when the sun in southern Palestine is only about 8 degrees or 12 degrees from the exact zenith. Next, the moon appeared to be associated with the valley of Aijalon; that is, it must have been low down on the horizon in that direction, and since Aijalon is Northwest of Gibeon it must have been about to set, which would imply that it was about half full, in its "third quarter," the sun being, as we have seen, on the meridian. Thirdly, "the sun hasted not to go down," that is to say, it had already attained the meridian, its culmination; and henceforward its motion was downward. The statement that it was noonday is here implicitly repeated, but a further detail is added. The going down of the sun appeared to be slow. This is the work of the afternoon, that is of half the day, but on this occasion the half-day appeared equal in length to an ordinary whole day. There is therefore no question at all of the sun becoming stationary in the sky: the statement does not admit of that, but only of its slower progress.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.26
5. The "Silence" of the Sun: The idea that the sun was fixed in the sky, in other words, that the earth ceased for a time to rotate on its axis, has arisen from the unfortunate rendering of the Hebrew verb dum, "be silent," by "stand thou still." It is our own word "dumb," both being onomatopoetic words from the sound made when a man firmly closes his lips upon his speech. The primary meaning of the word therefore is "to be silent," but its secondary meaning is "to desist," "to cease," and therefore in some cases "to stand still. "ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.27
From what was it then that Joshua wished the sun to cease: from its moving or from its shining? It is not possible to suppose that, engaged as he was in a desperate battle, he was even so much as thinking of the sun's motion at all. But its shining, its scorching heat, must have been most seriously felt by him. At noon, in high summer, the highland of southern Palestine is one of the hottest countries of the world. It is impossible to suppose that Joshua wished the sun to be fixed overhead, where it must have been distressing his men who had already been 17 hours on foot. A very arduous pursuit lay before them and the enemy not only had a long start but must have been fresher than the Israelites. The sun's heat therefore must have been a serious hindrance, and Joshua must have desired it to be tempered. And the Lord hearkened to his voice and gave him this and much more. A great hailstorm swept up from the west, bringing with it a sudden lowering of temperature, and no doubt hiding the sun and putting it to "silence."ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.28
6. "Yahweh Fought for Israel": And "Yahweh fought for Israel," for the storm burst with such violence upon the Amorites as they fled down the steep descent between the Beth-horons, that "they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword" (Joshua 10:11). This was the culminating incident of the day, the one which so greatly impressed the sacred historian. "There was no day like that before it or after it, that Yahweh hearkened unto the voice of a man" (Joshua 10:14). It was not the hailstorm in itself nor the veiling of the sun that made the day so remarkable. It was that Joshua had spoken, not in prayer or supplication, but in command, as if all Nature was at his disposal; and the Lord had hearkened and had, as it were, obeyed a human voice: an anticipation of the time when a greater Joshua should command even the winds and the sea, and they should obey Him (Matthew 8:23-27).ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.29
7. The Afternoon's March: The explanation of the statement that the sun "hasted not to go down about a whole day" is found in Joshua 10:10, in which it is stated that the Lord discomfited the Amorites before Israel, "and he slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah." The Israelites had of course no time-keepers, no clocks or watches, and the only mode of measuring time available to them was the number of miles they marched. Now from Gibeon to Makkedah by the route indicated is some 30 miles, a full day's march for an army. It is possible that, at the end of the campaign, the Israelites on their return found the march from Makkedah to Gibeon heavy work for an entire day. Measured by the only means available to them, that afternoon seemed to be double the ordinary length. The sun had "hasted not to go down about a whole day."ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.30
8. The Chronicle and the Poem Independent Witnesses:ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.31
Joshua's reference to the moon in connection with the Valley of Aijalon appears at first sight irrelevant, and has frequently been assumed to be merely inserted to complete the parallelism of the poem. But when examined astronomically it becomes clear that it cannot have been inserted haphazard. Joshua must have mentioned the moon because he actually saw it at the moment of speaking. Given that the sun was "in the midst of heaven," above Gibeon, there was only a very restricted arc of the horizon in which the moon could appear as associated with some terrestrial object; and from Gibeon, the Valley of Aijalon does lie within that narrow arc. It follows therefore that unless the position assigned to the moon had been obtained from actual observation at the moment, it would in all probability have been an impossible one. The next point is especially interesting. The ballad does not expressly state whether the sun was upon Gibeon in the sense of being upon it low down on the distant horizon, or upon it, in the sense of being overhead both to Joshua and to that city. But the moon being above the Valley of Aijalon, it becomes clear that the latter is the only possible solution. The sun and moon cannot both have been setting--though this is the idea that has been generally held, it being supposed that the day was far spent and that Joshua desired it to be prolonged--for then sun and moon would have been close together, and the moon would be invisible. The sun cannot have been setting, and the moon rising; for Aijalon is West of Gibeon. Nor can the sun have been rising, and the moon setting, since this would imply that the time of year was either about October 30 of our present calendar, or about February 12. The month of February was already past, since the Israelites had kept the Feast of the Passover. October cannot have come; for, since Beeroth, Gibeon and Jerusalem were so close together, it is certain that the events between the return of the Israelites to Gilgal and the battle of Beth-horon cannot h ave been spread over several months, but must have occupied only a few days. The poem therefore contains implicitly the same fact that is explicitly stated in the prose narrative--that the sun was overhead--but the one statement cannot, in those days, have been inferred from the other.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.32
9. Date of the Events: A third point of interest is that the position of the moon gives an indication of the time of the year. The Valley of Aijalon is 17 degrees North of West of from Gibeon, of which the latitude is 31 degrees 51 minutes North. With these details, and assuming the time to be nearly noon, the date must have been about the 21st day of the 4th month of the Jewish calendar, corresponding to July 22 of our present calendar, with a possible uncertainty of one or two days on either side. The sun's declination would then be about 21 degrees North, so that at noon it was within 11 degrees of the zenith. It had risen almost exactly at 5 AM and would set almost exactly at 7 PM. The moon was now about her third quarter, and in North latitude. about 5 degrees. It had risen about 11 o'clock the previous night, and was now at an altitude of under 7 degrees, and within about half an hour of setting. The conditions are not sufficient to fix the year, since from the nature of the luni-solar cycle there will always be one or two years in each cycle of 19 that will satisfy the conditions of the case, and the date of the Hebrew invasion of Palestine is not known with sufficient certainty to limit the inquiry to any particular cycle.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.33
10. The Records Are Contemporaneous with the Events:ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.34
It will be seen however that the astronomical conditions introduced by the mention of the moon are much more stringent than might have been expected. They supply therefore proof of a high order that the astronomical details, both of the poem and prose chronicle, were derived from actual observation at the time and have been preserved to us unaltered. Each, therefore, supplies a strictly contemporaneous and independent record.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.35
This great occurrence appears to be referred to in one other passage of Scripture--the Prayer of Habakkuk. Here again the rendering of the English versions is unfortunate, and the passage should stand:ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.36
`The sun and moon ceased (to shine) in their habitation;ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.37
At the light of Thine arrows they vanished,ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.38
And at the shining of Thy glittering spear.ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.39
Thou didst march through the land in indignation,ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.40
Thou didst thresh the nations in anger' (Habakkuk 3:11, 19).ISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.41
E. W. MaunderISBE Beth-horon, the Battle of.42
Bethink - be-think' (heshibh 'el lebh, "to lay to heart," hence, "recall to mind"): Anglo-Saxon word used only in seventh petition of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple. If the people, carried into captivity, because of sin, should "take it to heart," then God (he prayed) would hear and forgive (1 Kings 8:47; 2 Chronicles 6:37). A choice illustration of the mental and heart process in reflection, repentance and conversion.ISBE Bethink.2
Beth-jeshimoth - beth-jesh'-i-moth (beth ha-yeshimoth; Codex Vaticanus, Haisimoth; Codex Alexandrinus, Asimoth, and other variants (see DB , under the word)): Mentioned as the point in the south from which the camp of Israel stretched to Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab (Numbers 33:49). In Joshua 12:3 the way to Beth-jeshimoth is described as South of the Arabah, near the Dead Sea. It was in the lot assigned to Reuben (Joshua 13:20), At what times and how long it was actually held by Israel we do not know; but it appears in Ezekiel 25:9 as belonging to Moab. It may be identical with Khirbet es-Suweimeh, where there are some ruins and a well, about 3 miles East of the mouth of the Jordan.ISBE Beth-jeshimoth.2
Beth-leaphrah - beth-le-af'-ra (beth le`aphrah; Septuagint ex oikou kata gelota, "house of dust"): The name of a place found only in Micah 1:10. From the connection in which it is used it was probably in the Philistine plain. There seems to be a play upon the name in the sentence, "at Beth le-`apharah have I rolled myself in the dust," `aphrah meaning "dust," and possibly another on Philistine in rolled, hith-palldshithi (see G. A. Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets, called Minor, in the place cited.).ISBE Beth-leaphrah.2
Beth-lebaoth - beth-le-ba'-oth, beth-leb'-aoth (beth lebha'oth; Baithalbath, "house of lionesses"): A town in the territory of Simeon (Joshua 19:6). In 1 Chronicles 4:31 the name is given as Beth-birei: the Revised Version (British and American) BETH-BIRI (which see).ISBE Beth-lebaoth.2
Bethlehem - beth'-le-hem (bethlechem; Baithleem, or Bethleem, "house of David," or possibly "the house of Lakhmu," an Assyrian deity):ISBE Bethlehem.2
I. Bethlehem Judah: Bethlehem Judah, or EPHRATH or EPHRATHAH (which see) is now Beit Lahm (Arabic = "house of meat"), a town of upward of 10,000 inhabitants, 5 miles South of Jerusalem and 2,350 ft. above sea level. It occupies an outstanding position upon a spur running East from the watershed with deep valleys to the Northeast and South It is just off the main road to Hebron and the south, but upon the highroad to Tekoa and En-gedi. The position is one of natural strength; it was occupied by a garrison of the Philistines in the days of David (2 Samuel 23:14; 1 Chronicles 11:16) and was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:6). The surrounding country is fertile, cornfields, fig and olive yards and vineyards abound. Bethlehem is not naturally well supplied with water, the nearest spring is 800 yds. to the Southeast, but for many centuries the "low level aqueduct" from "Solomon's Pools" in the ArTas valley, which has here been tunneled through the hill, has been tapped by the inhabitants; there are also many rock-cut cisterns.ISBE Bethlehem.3
1. Early History: In 1 Chronicles 2:51 Salma, the son of Caleb, is described as the "father of Bethlehem." In Genesis 35:19; 48:7 it is recorded that Rachel "was buried in the way to Ephrath (the same is Beth-lehem)." Tradition points out the site of Rachel's tomb near where the road to Bethlehem leaves the main road. The Levites of the events of Judges 17:1-13; Judges 19:1-30 were Bethlehemites. In the list of the towns of Judah the name Bethlehem occurs, in the Septuagint version only in Joshua 15:57.ISBE Bethlehem.4
2. David the Bethlehemite: Ruth, famous chiefly as the ancestress of David, and of the Messiah, settled in Bethlehem with her second husband Boaz, and it is noticeable that from her new home she could view the mountains of Moab, her native land. David himself "was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose name was Jesse" (1 Samuel 17:12). To Bethlehem came Samuel to anoint a successor to unworthy Saul (1 Samuel 16:4): "David went to and fro from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem" (1 Samuel 17:15). David's "three mighty men" "brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David" (2 Samuel 23:14, 16). Tradition still points out the well. From this town came those famous "sons of Zeruiah," David's nephews, whose loyalty and whose ruthless cruelty became at once a protection and a menace to their royal relative: in 2 Samuel 2:32 it is mentioned that one of them, Asahel, was buried "in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem."ISBE Bethlehem.5
3. Later Bible History: After the time of David, Bethlehem would appear to have sunk into insignificance. But its future fame is pointed at by Micah (5:2): "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."ISBE Bethlehem.6
In the return of the Jews captive Bethlehemites re-inhabited the place (Ezra 2:21; Nehemiah 7:26 "men"; 1 Esdras 5:17 "sons").ISBE Bethlehem.7
4. The Christian Era: In the New Testament Bethlehem is mentioned as the birthplace of the Messiah Jesus (Matthew 2:1, 5; Luke 2:4, 25) in consequence of which event occurred Herod's "massacre of the innocents" (Matthew 2:8, 23). Inasmuch as Hadrian devastated Bethlehem and set up there a sacred grove to Adonis (Jerome, Ep. ad Paul, lviii.3) it is clear that veneration of this spot as the site of the Nativity must go back before 132 AD. Constantine (circa 330) founded a basilica over the cave-stable which tradition pointed out as the scene of the birth, and his church, unchanged in general structure though enlarged by Justinian and frequently adorned, repaired and damaged, remains today the chief attraction of the town. During the Crusades, Bethlehem became of great importance and prosperity; it remained in Christian hands after the overthrow of the Latin kingdom, and at the present day it is in material things one of the most prosperous Christian centers in the Holy Land.ISBE Bethlehem.8
II. Bethlehem of Zebulun: Bethlehem of Zebulun (Joshua 19:15) was probably the home of Ibzan (Judges 12:8, 15) though Jewish tradition is in support of (1). See Josephus, Ant, V, vii, 13. This is now the small village of Beit Lahm, some 7 miles Northwest of Nazareth on the edge of the oak forest. Some antiquities have been found here recently, showing that in earlier days it was a place of some importance. It is now the site of a small German colony. See PEF , I, 270, Sh V.ISBE Bethlehem.9
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Bethlehem.10
Bethlehem, Star of - See STAR OF THE MAGI.ISBE Bethlehem, Star of.2
Beth-lehemite - beth'-le-hem-it (beth ha-lachmi): An inhabitant of Bethlehem, a town in Judah, 5 miles South of Jerusalem. Jesse is so named in 1 Samuel 16:18; 17:58, and Elhanan in 2 Samuel 21:19. The children of Bethlehem are referred to in Ezra 2:21; Nehemiah 7:26; 1 Esdras 5:17.ISBE Beth-lehemite.2
Beth-lomon - beth-lo'-mon (Baithlomon; Codex Vaticanus, Rhagethlomon): The inhabitants of this city are mentioned as returning with Zerubbabel from Babylon (1 Esdras 5:17). It is the city of Bethlehem in Judah, the modern Beit Lachm (Ezra 2:21).ISBE Beth-lomon.2
Beth-maacah - beth-ma'-a-ka.ISBE Beth-maacah.2
See ABEL-BETH-MAACAH.ISBE Beth-maacah.3
Beth-marcaboth - beth-mar'-ka-both (beth ha-markabhoth; Baithmachereb, "the house of chariots"): Mentioned along with Hazar-susah, "the station of horses" (Joshua 19:5; 1 Chronicles 4:31) as cities in the Negeb near Ziklag. It is tempting to connect these stations with "the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen" which Solomon built (1 Kings 9:19; compare 1 Kings 10:26). The site of Beth-marcaboth has not been identified, but Guerin (La Terre Sainte. Jerusalem et le Nord de la Judee, II, 230) suggests Khan Yunas , Southwest of Gaza, as a suitable chariot city.ISBE Beth-marcaboth.2
E. W. G. MastermanISBE Beth-marcaboth.3
Beth-meon - beth-me'-on: A city of Moab (Jeremiah 48:23), identical with BAAL-MEON (which see).ISBE Beth-meon.2
Beth-merhak - beth-mer'-hak (beth ha-merchaq; en oiko to makran, literally "a place (house) that was far off" (2 Samuel 15:17 the Revised Version, margin "the Far House")): A place mentioned in the account of David's flight from Absalom. No town of this name is known on the route which he followed. Some scholars think the name denotes simply the outermost of the houses of the city.ISBE Beth-merhak.2