BETH-MARCABOTH

(Beth-marʹca·both) [place of chariots].

One of the enclave cities of Simeon given them within the territory of the tribe of Judah. (Josh. 19:1, 5; 1 Chron. 4:31) In the parallel account of the cities originally assigned to Judah (Josh. 15:31), Beth-marcaboth’s place is possibly taken by Madmannah. If Beth-marcaboth is the same as Madmannah, then it evidently lay on the main highway leading from Beer-sheba to Jerusalem and points N, and the name “place of chariots” may be a secondary name for Madmannah. The name of the town listed after Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah (or Hazar-susim), means “village of the mare.” Some suggest that both places were depots and stations for horses and chariots such as traveled the ancient routes between Palestine and Egypt. Chariots were also used for war (Judg. 1:19), and Beth-marcaboth may have been a fortress city of the Canaanites from which their war chariots could proceed out onto the flatlands in the area of Beer-sheba.—See MADMANNAH No. 2.