BETH-MARCABOTH

(Beth-marʹca·both) [House of the Chariots].

One of the enclave cities of Simeon given them within the territory of the tribe of Judah. (Jos 19:1, 5; 1Ch 4:31) In the parallel account of the cities originally assigned to Judah (Jos 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 locations N, and the name Beth-marcaboth may be a secondary name for Madmannah. The name of the town listed after Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah (or Hazar-susim), means “Courtyard (Settlement) of the Mare (or Horses).” Some suggest that both places were depots and stations for horses and chariots, which traveled the ancient routes between Palestine and Egypt. Chariots were also used for war (Jg 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.