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BetonimAid to Bible Understanding
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BETONIM
(Betʹo·nim) [pistachios].
A city E of the Jordan that Moses gave as “a gift” to the tribe of Gad. (Josh. 13:24-27) Betonim is generally held to be the present-day Khirbet Batneh in the mountainous country some seventeen miles (27 kilometers) NE of the point where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea. The name may originally have derived from there having been a large number of pistachio trees in that vicinity.
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BeulahAid to Bible Understanding
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BEULAH
(Beuʹlah) [owned as a wife, or, owned by a husband].
A Hebrew word (Beʽu·lahʹ) transliterated as a name at Isaiah 62:4 in some translations (AS; AV; Ro), whereas in others it is rendered “Married” (AT, RS), “Espoused” (Le), “my wedded wife” (Mo) and “Owned as a Wife” (NW).
The spiritual woman Zion was in a desolate state for seventy years (from 607 to 537 B.C.E.), following the destroying of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the complete desolation of Judah. However, this restoration prophecy given by Jehovah through Isaiah, one of great import to Jewish captives in ancient Babylon and to members of spiritual Israel, assured restoration and repopulating of the land, a changed condition. Once-desolate Zion would be “a woman left entirely” no more, and her land would no longer be desolate, it being promised: “But you yourself will be called My Delight Is in Her [Heb., Hheph·tsi-vahʹ], and your land Owned as a Wife [Heb., Beʽu·lahʹ]. For Jehovah will have taken delight in you, and your own land will be owned as a wife.” Zion’s returning “sons,” released from Babylonian captivity, would settle in her once again, also ‘taking ownership of her as a wife.’ Zion’s, or Jerusalem’s, restoration meant a new condition for her, one that contrasted with her former desolate state. Because of this restored condition Jehovah, who delights in Zion, declared that she would be called “My Delight Is in Her” and her land “Owned as a Wife.”—Isa. chap. 62; compare Isaiah 54:1, 5, 6; 66:8; Jeremiah 23:5-8; 30:17; Galatians 4:26-31.
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BezaiAid to Bible Understanding
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BEZAI
(Beʹzai) [possibly a shortened form of Bezalel, meaning, in the shadow (protection) of God].
1. An Israelite whose descendants numbering over 300 returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E.—Ezra 2:17; Neh. 7:23.
2. One by this name, or a representative of such a family group, who attested to Nehemiah’s “trustworthy arrangement.”—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 18.
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BezalelAid to Bible Understanding
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BEZALEL
(Bezʹal·el) [in the shadow (protection) of God].
1. Chief artisan and builder of the tabernacle, “the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah.” (Ex. 31:1, 2; 1 Chron. 2:20) Jehovah himself appointed Bezalel and promised to “fill him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in every kind of craftsmanship, for designing devices, for working in gold and silver and copper, and in working of stones to set them and in working of wood to make products of every kind.” (Ex. 31:3-5; 35:30-33) These costly materials that Bezalel worked with were supplied by the generous contributions of the “willing-hearted” people, and they proved “more than enough.”—Ex. 35:4-9, 20-29; 36:3-7.
Bezalel had as his chief assistant Oholiab (Ex. 31:6), and there were many “wise-hearted” ones who worked along with them, yet the responsibility of directing the complicated work remained on Bezalel. (Ex. 35:10-19, 25, 26, 34; 36:1, 2) This is evident by the interchange of the pronouns “he,” meaning Bezalel, and “they,” his assistants. (Ex. chaps. 36-39) The great diversity of Bezalel’s skills, filled as he was “with the spirit of God,” enabled him to oversee making the tent cloths and their embroidery, gold and copper hooks, the outer coverings of skins, wooden panel frames overlaid with gold, the interior screen (Ex. chap. 36); the overlaid ark of the covenant and its cherubs, the table and its utensils, the golden lampstand and incense altar, the prescribed anointing oil and incense (Ex. chap. 37); the altar of burnt offering, the copper basin and stand, the courtyard (Ex. chap. 38); the ephod and its breastpiece set with precious stones, and priestly robes. (Ex. chap. 39) Some four hundred and seventy-five years later, the tabernacle tent, the ark of the covenant and the copper altar were still in use when Solomon came to the throne.—2 Chron. 1:1-6.
2. One of the sons of Pahath-moab who dismissed their foreign wives and sons at Ezra’s urging.—Ezra 10:30, 44.
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BezekAid to Bible Understanding
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BEZEK
(Beʹzek) [lightning, or, perhaps, scattering, sowing].
1. The site at which Judah and Simeon defeated 10,000 Canaanite and Perizzite troops under Adoni-bezek. (Judg. 1:3-7) Some identify this Bezek with that of 1 Samuel 11:8 (No. 2, below) though such a view requires the assumption that Adoni-bezek came S to join other Canaanite forces but was met by Judah and Simeon, was chased N to Bezek and was defeated there. The context, however, seems to indicate a place in the general area of Jerusalem, whereas the Bezek of 1 Samuel 11:8 is in an extreme northern location in relation to Jerusalem and the territory occupied by Judah and Simeon. In view of these circumstances, Bezek, the city of Adoni-bezek, is tentatively located in the Shephelah region at the site of Khirbet Bezka, about three miles (4.8 kilometers) NE of Gezer.
2. The location where Saul assembled the sons of Israel and Judah to fight against the Ammonites who were camped against Jabesh in Gilead. (1 Sam. 11:8-11) The fact that this place was no more than a night’s march from Jabesh substantiates the view that it was located at the modern site of Khirbet Ibzik, thirteen miles (20.9 kilometers) NE of Shechem. A mountain W of Khirbet Ibzik rises 2,337 feet (713 meters) above sea level and may have provided a suitable place for Saul to reconnoiter his forces.
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BezerAid to Bible Understanding
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BEZER
(Beʹzer) [fortress].
1. One of the “sons of Zophah” of the tribe of Asher.—1 Chron. 7:30, 36, 37.
2. A Levite city of refuge, one of the three on the E side of the Jordan, designated primarily for the tribe of Reuben. (Deut. 4:41-43; Josh. 20:8; 21:36; 1 Chron. 6:78) It is spoken of as “on the tableland” and “at Jericho to the east of the Jordan . . . in the wilderness.” Bezer is generally identified with modern Umm el-ʽAmad, located on the plateau region, seventeen miles (27 kilometers) E of the northern end of the Dead Sea. It is mentioned in the ancient Moabite Stone as being one of the cities captured and fortified by King Mesha of Moab, in his revolt against Israel after the death of King Ahab in 919 B.C.E.—2 Ki. 3:5.
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BibleAid to Bible Understanding
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BIBLE
The Holy Scriptures, the Inspired Word of Jehovah, acknowledged as the greatest book of all times due to its antiquity, its total circulation, the number of languages into which it has been translated, its surpassing greatness as a literary masterpiece, and because of its overwhelming importance to all mankind. Independent of all other books, it imitates no other and copies none. It stands on its own merits, giving credit to its unique Author. The Bible also is distinguished as having survived more violent controversy than any other book, hated as it is by enemies legion in number.
NAME
The English word “Bible” comes through the Latin from the Greek word bi·bliʹa, which is, in turn, derived from biʹblos, a word that describes the inner part of the papyrus plant out of which a primitive form of paper was made. The Phoenician city of Gebal, famous for its papyrus papermaking, was called by the Greeks “Byblos.” In time bi·bliʹa came to
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