this point it is but a short distance to the summit of the Mount of Olives, descending from which point the city of Jerusalem would be in full view.—Compare Luke 19:37, 41.

Talmudic references to Bethphage indicate it to have been considered as at the limit of the sabbatical zone around the city of Jerusalem.—Compare Acts 1:12.

BETH-RAPHA

(Beth-raʹpha) [house of Rapha, or, perhaps, house of a giant].

The name appears at 1 Chronicles 4:12 where Eshton is said to have become “father to Beth-rapha.” The use of “Beth” (house) in the name has led many commentators to view it as applying to a family “house” or a place. Thus, Keil and Delitzsch’s Commentaries on the Old Testament (Chronicles, p. 88) observes: “Eshton begat the house (the family) of Rapha, of whom also nothing further is said; for they can be connected neither with the Benjamite Rapha (viii. 2) nor with the children of Rapha (xx. 4, 6, 8).”—See ATROTH-BETH-JOAB.

BETH-REHOB

(Beth-reʹhob) [place of open space or market].

Evidently the name of a small Aramaean kingdom, perhaps applied primarily to its principal city. In the account of the attack on Laish by six hundred Danites, Laish is described as “in the low plain that belonged to Beth-rehob.” (Judg. 18:7, 28) Later, in David’s time, the Ammonites hired Syrian mercenaries from Beth-rehob in a vain attempt to defend themselves against the Israelite forces. (2 Sam. 10:6) It was also called simply “Rehob” (2 Sam. 10:8) and is, therefore, thought to be the same place mentioned as among the points reached by the twelve Israelite spies in their preliminary investigation of the land of Canaan.—Num. 13:21.

Beth-rehob’s association with the “low plain” in which Laish (later Dan) was situated and the statement at Numbers 13:21, that Rehob was in the direction of the “entering in of Hamath,” likely point to a location in the southern part of the Biqaʽ valley, which lies between the Lebanon and Anti—Lebanon mountains. The fortress city of Hunin, some six and a half miles (10.5 kilometers) W of Tell el-Qadi (the probable location of Dan), and the city of Banyas, about two and a half miles (4 kilometers) E of Tell el-Qadi, have both been suggested as possible locations of Beth-rehob; however, the evidence for either is insufficient for positive identification.

BETHSAIDA

(Beth·saʹi·da) [house or place of fishing].

The city from which Philip, Andrew and Peter came (John 1:44), although Simon Peter and Andrew seem to have taken residence in Capernaum by the time of Jesus’ ministry. (Matt. 8:5, 14; Mark 1:21, 29) It was a city “of Galilee.” (John 12:21) Following the death of John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew to Bethsaida with his disciples and, at an isolated grassy place in its vicinity, he miraculously provided food for five thousand men, besides women and children, who had gathered to hear him. (Luke 9:10-17; compare Matthew 14:13-21; John 6:10.) Outside Bethsaida Jesus later restored sight to a blind man. (Mark 8:22) Since these powerful works were done in their neighborhood, the people of Bethsaida in general came in for merited reproach due to their unrepentant attitude, along with the population of Chorazin.—Luke 10:13.

The identification of the “village” (Mark 8:22, 23) or “city” (Luke 9:10) of Bethsaida has been a subject of some discussion. The Scriptural references point to a place on the N shores of the Sea of Galilee. The name is connected by Josephus with a populous village lying a short distance to the E of the point where the Jordan River enters the Sea of Galilee. This village was elevated to the status of a city during the rule of tetrarch Herod Philip and named Julias in honor of the daughter of Caesar Augustus. (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, chap. 2, par. 1) The ancient ruins of the site of Julias itself are to be found at et-Tell, about two miles (3 kilometers) from the sea; however, remains of a smaller fishing settlement are located at el-ʽAraj right on the shore. Here a natural harbor was used by fishermen up until recent times, so the place geographically fits the meaning of the name Bethsaida

While accepting this identification as applying to Bethsaida in some of the texts, a number of commentators contend for a second Bethsaida somewhere to the W of the Jordan. This view is due to the understanding, based on statements by Josephus and others, that the territorial limitation of Galilee did not extend E of the Jordan. Josephus himself speaks of Julias as in “lower Gaulonitis,” the region to the E of the Sea of Galilee. Yet Bethsaida is said to be “of Galilee.” (John 12:21) However, the region of Galilee does not seem to have always been so precisely defined, Josephus even referring to one Judas of Gaulonitis as a “Galilean.” (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, chap. 1, par. 1; Wars of the Jews, Book II, chap. 8, par. 1) It is also quite possible that the city of Bethsaida had some of its population extending as far as the W bank of the Jordan, less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) distant.

Additionally, since the Authorized Version rendering of Mark 6:45 states that Jesus instructed his apostles “to go [by boat] to the other side before unto Bethsaida,” while the parallel passage at John 6:17 gives their destination as Capernaum, some have held that this likewise requires a second Bethsaida on the W side of the Jordan near Capernaum. Modern translations of the text at Mark 6:45, however, allow for the understanding that the apostles began their trip toward Capernaum by first going coastwise “toward Bethsaida” (the point from which they left Jesus evidently being near the site of the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, likely some distance S of Bethsaida [Julias] and on the opposite side of the sea from Capernaum), and thereafter crossing over the northern end of the sea heading for the ultimate destination, Capernaum. They landed on the shores of the land of Gennesaret, apparently somewhat S of the city of Capernaum.—Mark 6:53.

Thus, while various locations have been suggested for a second Bethsaida, the Biblical accounts do not seem to require this. It may also be noted that these suggested sites are all near Capernaum and it seems quite unlikely that two cities bearing the name of Bethsaida would be situated but a few miles apart.

BETH-SHEAN

(Beth-sheʹan), also BETH-SHAN [house of security, or, place of quiet].

Initially, a major fortified city of the Canaanites, located at a strategic point commanding the entrance to the Valley of Jezreel from the Jordan valley. The name is continued in that of modern Beisan, while the ancient site is located nearby at Tell el-Husn. The land in the area of Beth-shean is about 400 feet (122 meters) below sea level and to the E drops off sharply to a point some 785 feet (239 meters) below sea level by the banks of the Jordan River, about three miles (4.8 kilometers) away. Built on a large mound on the rim of this declivity, Beth-shean was in an excellent position militarily. To the W of Beth-shean the flat valley plain, through which the River Jalud courses, is well-watered and fertile and steadily rises until it reaches Jezreel some eleven miles (18 kilometers) distant.

Beth-shean was also a junction town on the favored route leading from the Mediterranean seacoast through to the Jordan valley and on to Damascus and Arabia.

Archaeological excavations at Beth-shean have revealed numerous different strata or levels of ancient ruins, the earliest evidently dating back before the time of Abraham. Toward the middle of the second millennium B.C.E., Beth-shean appears to have come under Egyptian domination as a result of Thutmose III’s victory at Megiddo. Archaeological evidence indicates that it was an Egyptian outpost throughout the reigns of several Pharaohs, and three stelae or monumental stones have been unearthed there, relating to Seti I and Ramses II, and also a statue of Ramses III. At level No. 7 of the excavations, assigned to the time of the reign of Amenhotep III, what are believed to be the remains of the commandant’s residence were found, indicating the existence of a lavatory, a spacious kitchen, and alongside this a silo capable of holding over 1,100 bushels of grain.

At the time of the Israelite conquest of Canaan (1473-1467 B.C.E.), Beth-shean was located within the territory allotted to Issachar but was assigned to the tribe of Manasseh for a possession. (Josh. 17:11; 1 Chron. 7:29) The men of Manasseh failed to drive out the Canaanites in Beth-shean and other towns of the valley, presenting as their reason the military advantage exercised by the Canaanites with their war chariots equipped with iron scythes, which reason, however, did not satisfy their commander Joshua. The Canaanites, though not dispossessed, nevertheless were eventually subjugated to the point of rendering forced labor.—Josh. 17:12, 13, 16-18; Judg. 1:27, 28.

Beth-shean was in the possession of the Philistines at the time of the reign of King Saul (1117-1077 B.C.E.), and following Saul’s defeat at adjacent Mount Gilboa the Philistine victors placed Saul’s armor in the “house of the Ashtoreth images” and his head on the house of Dagon, and hung the dead bodies of Saul and his sons on the wall of Beth-shan (Beth-shean), evidently on the interior side facing the city’s public square. Courageous and daring Israelites of Jabesh-gilead, about ten miles (16 kilometers away on the other side of the Jordan, retrieved the bodies, perhaps penetrating the city at night in order to do so.—1 Sam. 31:8-13; 2 Sam. 21:12; 1 Chron. 10:8-12.

In harmony with the above account, in the excavations at Tell el-Husn the ruins of two temples were uncovered, one of which is considered to be the temple of Ashtoreth, while the other, farther to the S, is suggested by some of be the temple of Dagon. The temple of Ashtoreth is estimated to have continued in use until about the tenth century B.C.E. Evidence indicates an earlier worship of a Baal god referred to in one stele as “Mekal the lord [Baal] of Beth-shan.”

The city was eventually conquered by the Israelites, doubtless during the time of David’s reign, and during the reign of Solomon Beth-shean was included in one of the twelve royal supply districts. (1 Ki. 4:12) Following the division of the kingdom, Pharaoh Shishak (called Sheshonk by the Egyptians) invaded Palestine during King Rehoboam’s fifth year (993 B.C.E.). (1 Ki. 14:25) A relief on a wall at Karnak in Egypt depicts Shishak’s victorious campaign and conquest of numerous towns, including Beth-shean.

By the time of the Maccabees the name of Beth-shean had been changed to Scythopolis, and it is referred to by Jewish historian Josephus as one of the largest cities of the Decapolis. It was the only one of these ten cities lying W of the Jordan.

BETH-SHEMESH

(Beth-sheʹmesh) [house of the sun].

The name of four cities in the Biblical account.

1. A city located on the northern boundary of Judah, listed between Chesalon and Timnah. (Josh. 15:10) It is evidently called Ir-shemesh (city of the sun) at Joshua 19:41, where it appears as a boundary town of the tribe of Dan, Judah’s neighbor to the N. Judah subsequently bequeathed Beth-shemesh to the Levites as a priestly city.—Josh. 21:13, 16; 1 Chron. 6:59.

Beth-shemesh is identified with Tell er—Rumeileh near present-day ʽAin Shems, this latter place partly preserving the ancient name. Beth-shemesh thus lay about sixteen miles (26 kilometers) W of Jerusalem and was situated on the main road from that city of the Philistine cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. It was evidently a strategic point militarily as it guarded the upper portion of the Valley of Sorek and one of the main approaches from the coastal plains into the Shephelah region and the mountains of Judah. Excavations carried out at the site indicate an ancient history for the city, with considerable evidence of Philistine influence.

When the Philistines, plagued by disease, sent the ark of Jehovah back to Israel the cows pulling the wagon of their own accord headed for this Levite city of Beth-shemesh. However, the improper action of some of the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh in looking upon the ark of the covenant brought death to seventy of them. (1 Sam. 6:9-20) The phrase “fifty thousand men” occurring at 1 Samuel 6:19 in the Hebrew is not connected with the “seventy men” by any conjunction and this is considered by some to indicate an interpolation. Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Book VI, chap. 1, par. 4) in discussing the Biblical account mentions only seventy men as killed, omitting all reference to the fifty thousand.

Beth-shemesh was one of the cities connected with King Solomon’s administrative arrangement for providing food for the royal table. (1 Ki. 4:7, 9) Long narrow rooms believed to have been used for grain storage have been found there, and also a huge stone-lined silo some twenty-three feet (7 meters) in diameter and almost nineteen feet (5.7 meters) deep. Numerous grape and olive presses unearthed indicate that the area was very productive in oil and wine.

King Amaziah (858-829 B.C.E.) unwisely challenged Jehoash of Israel and suffered defeat and capture at Beth-shemesh. (2 Ki. 14:9-13; 2 Chron. 25:18-23) During the reign of Ahaz (761-745 B.C.E.) national degradation and infidelity resulted in the loss of Beth-shemesh to the Philistines. (2 Chron. 28:18, 19) A stamped jar handle bearing the inscription “belonging to Eliakim, steward of Jaukin [a shortened form of the name Jehoiachin],” was excavated at Beth-shemesh and is suggested to relate to the king of that name, perhaps indicating that the kingdom of Judah in time regained control of the city from the Philistines. The city was finally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon about 607 B.C.E.

2. A fortified city in the territory of Naphtali. (Josh. 19:35-39) Though not driven out, the Canaanites residing in this city became subject to forced labor for the Naphtalites. (Judg. 1:33) The ancient site remains unidentified.

3. A town of Issachar near the Jordan. (Josh. 19:22, 23) While different sites have been suggested, modern authorities prefer an identification with elʽAbeidiyeh on the banks of the Jordan just a couple of miles (3 kilometers) S of the Sea of Galilee and about ten miles (16 kilometers) E of Mount Tabor. The ancient name is possibly preserved at nearby Khirbet Shamsawi.

4. A city in Egypt included in Jeremiah’s prophecy of coming devastation upon that nation. (Jer. 43:13) It is considered to be the same as Heliopolis (a Greek name also meaning “city of the sun”), located a few miles E-NE of modern Cairo. It is elsewhere referred to in the Scriptural account by its Egyptian name, On.—See ON No. 2.

BETH-SHEMITE

(Beth-sheʹmite).

An inhabitant of Beth-shemesh of Judah. The term is applied to Joshua, the owner of the field where the ark of the covenant rested on a “great stone,” exposed to view, after being brought there on a Philistine wagon.—1 Sam. 6:14, 18.

BETH-SHITTAH

(Beth-shitʹtah) [house of the acacia].

A town mentioned in describing the line of flight followed by the Midianites after their rout in the low plain of Jezreel by Judge Gideon. (Judg. 7:22)