Beth-arabah – Bezeth

Beth-arabah

Beth-arabah (‘place of the Arabah’ [wh. see], Joshua 15:6, 61 18:22). — A place in the Jericho plain, apparently north of Beth-hoglah, in the ‘wilderness.’ The name has not been recovered.

Beth-arbel

(Hosea 10:14 only). The site is quite uncertain. It is said to have been spoiled by Shalman (perhaps Shalmaneser iii.), and may have been in Syria. ■Two ‘Places cafled Arbela exist in Palestine, one (now Irbid) west of the Sea of Galilee (Jos. Ant. xii. xi. 1), the other (.Irbid) in the extreme north of Gilead, both noticed in the 4th cent. a.d. ( Onom. s.v.’ Arbela’).

Bethasmoth

Bethasmoth (l Es S’s).- ForBethazmaveth. See

AZMAVETH.

Beth-aven

(‘house of iniquity,’ or ‘idolatry’?). Close to Ai (Joshua 7:2). by the wilderness (18:12). north-west of Michmash (1 Samuel 13:5). and on the way to Aijalon (14:23). still inhabited in the 8th cent. B.C. (Hosea 5:8). The ‘calves of Bethaven’ were probably those at Bethel close by (Hosea 10:5). Bethel is probably meant also in Hosea 4:15 5:8 (see Amos 5:5) 10 (Aven).

Beth-azmaveth

Beth-azmaveth (Nehemiah 7:28). See Azmaveth.

Beth-baal-meon

Beth-baal-meon (Joshua 13:17). See Baal-Meon.

Beth-barah

Beth-barah (Judges 7:24). Near Jordan and the valley of Jezreel. Some suppose it to be the same as Bethabara, in which case the guttural has been lost in copying.

Bethbasi

Bethbasi (1 Maccabees 9:62, 64). Josephus reads Beth-hoglah. The name has not been recovered.

Beth-biri

Beth-biri (1 Chronicles 4:31). A town of Simeon, perhaps textual error for Beth-lebaoth, Joshua 19:6, Jos 15:32. The ruin Bireh on the west slopes of the Debir hills may be intended.

Beth-car

(‘house of a lamb’). A place mentioned once only, 1 Samuel 7:11. as the terminus of the pursuit of the Philistines under Samuel’s guidance. The site is quite unknown, save that it must have been somewhere near Jerusalem, on the west. R. A. S. Macalistek.

Beth-dagon

(‘house of Dagon’). 1. A city of Judah (Joshua 15:41). somewhere in the Shephelah. The name is preserved in the modern Beit Dejan, some 4 miles S.E. of Jaffa. This, however, is quite a modern village. Near it is a Roman site, named Khurbet Dajun. The Biblical Beth-dagon is still to seek. 2. A border city in the tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:27). not yet discovered. R. A. S. MaCalister.

Beth-diblathaim

(‘house of two fig-cakes’?). In Jeremiah 48:22 mentioned with Dibon and Nebo; the next camp to Dibon before Nebo (Numbers 33:46 f.).

Beth-eden

(Amos 1:5 marg.). See Eden [House or].

Bethel

1. On a rocky knoll beside the great road to the north, about 12 miles from Jerusalem, stands the modern Beitin, a village of some 400 inhabitants, which represents the ancient Bethel. Four springs furnish good water, and in ancient times they were supplemented by a reservoir hewn in the rock, south of the town. Luz was the original name of the town. The name Bethel was first applied to the stone which Jacob set up and anointed (Genesis 28). See Pillar. But ‘the place’ (v. 11 etc.) was evidently one with holy associations. It was visited by Abraham, who sacrificed here (12:8). This may have Induced Jacob to come hither on his way to the north, and again on his return from Paddan-aram. From an eminence to the east almost the whole extent of the plains of Jericho is visible. This may have been the scene of Lot’s selfish choice (Genesis 13). ‘Bethel’ in the end prevailed over ‘Luz,’ and the town came to be known by the name of the sanctuary, the neighbourhood of which lent it distinction.

Bethel, a royal Canaanite city_, (Joshua 12:16), fell to Benjamin in the division of the land (18:22). but he failed to make good his possession. It was finally taken by Ephraim (Judges 1:22. 1 Chronicles 7:28). Hither the ark was brought from Gilgal (Judges 20:18 LXX), and Bethel was resorted to as a place of sacrifice (1 Samuel 10:3). The prophetess Deborah dwelt between Bethel and Ramah (Judges 4:5). In judging Israel, Samuel went from year to year in circuit to Bethel (1 Samuel 7). No doubt the ancient sanctity of the place led Jeroboam to choose Bethel as the site of the rival shrine, which he hoped might counteract the influence of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem (1 K 12). It became the great sanctuary of the Northern Kingdom, and the centre of the idolatrous priests who served in the high places (v. 32 ff.). At Bethel, Jeroboam was denounced by the man of God out of Judah (13:1 ff.). It was one of the towns taken from Jeroboam by Abijah . king of Judah (2 Chronicles 13:19). It is noteworthy that Elijah is silent regarding the calf-worship at Bethel; and that a school of the prophets, apparently in sympathy with him, flourished there (2 Kings 2:2 f.). But the denunciations of Amos (3:14 4:4 5:5 etc.) and Hosea (Hosea 4:15 5:8 etc.) lack nothing in vehemence. The priest resided at Bethel, who was brought by the king of Assyria to teach the mixed peoples, who lived in the country during the Exile, the manner of the God of the land (2 Kings 17). Bethel was reoccupied by the returning exiles (Ezra 2:28 etc.). We find it in the hands of Bacchides (1 Maccabees 9:50). It was one of the towns ‘in the mountains’ taken by Vespasian in his march on Jerusalem (Jos. BJ iv. ix. 9). 2. A town in Judah, not identified, called in different places, Bethul, Bethel, and Bethuel (Joshua 19:4, 1 Samuel 30:27,

1 Oh 4). yf EWING.

Beth-emee

Beth-emee (‘house of the deep valley’, Joshua 19:27). — A town of Zebulun in the border valley, east of Acco, apparently near Cabul. The name has not been recovered.

Bether

Bether (‘mountains of cutting’ — or ‘of divisions,’ Song of Songs 2:17). — If a proper name, the famous site of Bether, near Jerusalem, might be intended. Bether is celebrated for the resistance of the Jews to Hadrian under Bar Cochba in a.d. 135. The site was recognized by Canon Williams at Bittir, south-west of Jerusalem — a village on a cliff in a strong position, with a ruin near It called ‘Ruin of the Jews,’ from a tradition of a great Jewish massacre at this place. See Malobathhon.

Bethesda

A reservoir at Jerusalem, remarkable (according to a gloss inserted in the text in some authoritatlve MSS) for a periodic disturbance of the water belonged to the latter (Joshua 21:22). and followed the which wasfsupposed to give it healing properties. Here were five porches. It was ‘by the sheep-gate.’ An impotent man, one of the many who waited tor the troubling of the water, was here healed by Christ (John 5:2). The only body of water at Jerusalem that presents any analogous phenomenon is the intermittent spring known as the Virgin’s Fountain, in the Kidron valley, but it is not near the Sheep-gate. There is little that can be said in favour of any other of the numerous identifications that have been proposed for this pool.

R. A. S. Macalister. BETH-EZEL (Mic Perhaps ‘place near," see AVm: mentioned with Zaanan and Shaphir. It seems to have been a place in the Philistine plain, but the site is unknown. According to some it is=Azel of Zee 14:5.

Beth-gadeb

Beth-gadeb (1 Chronicles 2:51). mentioned with Bethlehem and Kiriath-jearim. It may be the same as Geder, Joshua 12:13.

Beth-gamul

Beth-gamul (Jeremiah 48:23). A place in Moab, noticed with Dibon, Kiriathaim, and Beth-meon. It is now the ruin Vmm el-Jemal, towards the east of the plateau, south of Medeba.

Beth-gilgal

Beth-gilgal (Nehemiah 12:29. AV ‘house of Gilgal’), perhaps identical with Gilgal to the east of Jericho. See GiLQAL

Beth-hacchereu

Beth-hacchereu (‘place of the vineyard’), Nehemiah 3:14. Jeremiah 6:1. — It appears to have had a commanding position for a beacon or ensign. Tradition fixed on Herodium south of Bethlehem, probably because it was a conspicuous site near Tekoa, with which it is noticed. A possible site is ‘Ain Karim, west of Jerusalem, where there are vineyards.

Beth-harah

Beth-harah was situated ‘in the valley-plain of the Jordan’ (Joshua 13). In Numbers 32:36 Bethharan. Its site has been recovered at Teli Bameh at the mouth of the Wady Hesban, 6 miles east from the familiar bathing-place of pilgrims in the Jordan. It was rebuilt and fortified by Herod Antipas when he became tetrarch, and in honour of the Roman empress was called Livias or Libias. Merrill (East of the Jordan, p. 383) gives reasons for believing that it was in the palace here that Herod celebrated his birthday by the feast recorded(Mt 14:6–12. Mark 6:21–28). and that the Baptist’s head was brought hither from Machaerus, some 20 miles south.

Beth-haban

Beth-haban (Numbers 32). See Beth-haeam.

Beth-hoglah

Beth-hoglah (‘place of the partridge’), Joshua 15:6 18". — In the Jericho plain. Now the large spring called ‘Ain Hajlati,’ partridge spring,’ south-east of Jericho.

Beth-horon

The upper and nether, two towns represented by the villages Beit ‘Ur el-foka and Beit’ Ur et-tahta, said to have been built by Sheerah (1 Chronicles 7:24). Their position, as commanding the ancient great high-road from the maritime plain into the heart of the mountains of Benjamin, made these places of great importance, and several celebrated battles occurred in their neighbourhood. Here Joshua defeated the Canaanites (Joshua 10:10–14). Solomon fortified both these cities (2 Chronicles 8:5. 1 Kings 9:17). By this road Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah. Here Judas Maceabaeus defeated the Syrian general Seron (1 Maccabees 3:13–24) and five years afterwards Nicanor (7) more than 200 years later the Jews at the same place beat back the Roman army under Cestius Gallus. In few places in Palestine can we with greater precision set history in its geographical setting; the whole ancient road, with abundant traces of Roman work, can be followed throughout, and the two Beit ‘Urs, less than two miles apart, stand sentinel above the road as the two Beth-horons did in ancient times. The Beth-horons were on the frontier between Benjamin and Ephraira (Joshua 16:3–5 and 18:13, 14). They Northern Kingdom. Possibly Sanballat the Horonite (Nehemiah 2:10) was from here. E. W. G. Masteeman.

Beth-jeshimoth

(‘the place of the desert’). The S. limit of the encampment on ‘the plains of Moab’ at the close of the journeyings (Numbers 33:49). In Joshua 12 it is mentioned as in the S. of the Arabah towards the Dead Sea. In 13:20 it is assigned to Reuben; and in Ezekiel 25:9 it is spoken of as belonging to Moab. Eusebius places it 10 miles S. of Jericho. Some ruins and a well at the N.E. end of the Dead Sea bear the name of Suwaimeh, which may be a modification of Jeshimoth; and this situation suits the Biblical narrative.

Beth-le-aphrah

(AV ‘house of Aphrah’). The name of a town apparently in Phil, territory, whose site is quite unknown (Micah 1:10). In the call ‘at Beth-le- Aphrah roll thyself in the dust,’ there is a double play upon words, ‘Aphrah containing a punning allusion to’ aphar (dust), and hithpallashi (roll thyself) to Pelishti (Philistine).

Beth-lebaoth

(Joshua 19:6 ‘house of lionesses’?). A town of Simeon. See Beth-bibi.

Bethlehem

Bethlehem (‘house of bread’ or, according to some, ‘of the god Lakhmu’). — The name of two places in Palestine.

l. BethlehemofJudah.otherwiseEphrathorEphrathah, now represented by the town of Beit Lahm, 5 miles S. of Jerusalem. On the way thither Rachel was buried (Genesis 35:19 48:7). Hence came the two Levites whose adventures are related in Judges 17. 19. It was the home of Elimelech, the father-in-law of Ruth (Ruth 1:1). and here Ruth settled with her second husband Boaz, and became the ancestress of the family of David, whose connexion with Bethlehem is emphasized throughout his history (1 Samuel 16:1–18 17:12 20:6 etc.). The Phihstines had here a garrison during David’s outlawry (2 Samuel 23:14. 1 Chronicles 11:16). Here Asahel was buried (2 Samuel 2:32). and hence came Elhanan, one of the mighty men (2 Samuel 23:24. cf. 21:19). Rehoboam fortified it (2 Chronicles 11:6). and here the murderers of Gedaliah took refuge (Jeremiah 41:17). Whether the Salma referred to in 1 Chronicles 2:51, 54 as ‘father of Bethlehem’ (whatever that expression may exactly mean) be the same as the Salmon who was father of Boaz (Ruth 4:20) — a theory the Greek version seems to justify — is doubtful. The town had some sanctity, and is indicated (Psalms 132) as a suitable place for the Tabernacle. The birth of the Messiah there is prophesied in Micah 5:2 (quoted Matthew 2:6. John 7:42). a prophecy fulfilled by the birth of Christ (Matthew 2:1, 5. Luke 2:4, 15). Here Herod sent to seek the new-born Christ, and not finding Him ordered the massacre of the infants of the city (Matthew 2:8, 16). The modern town, containing about 8000 inhabitants, is Christian and comparatively prosperous. Within it stands the basilica of the Nativity, founded by Constantine (about 330), and restored by Justinian (about 650) and many later emperors. Within it are shown grottoes in which the various events of the Nativity are localized with the usual unreasoning definiteness.

2. Bethlehem of Zebulun, a place named but once (Joshua 19:15). in enumerating the towns of that tribe. It is identified with Beit Lahm, 7 miles N.W. of Nazareth. It is probable that this was the home of Ibzan, the judge (Judges 12:8–10). as almost all the judges belonged to the northern tribes. R. A. S. Macalister.

Beth-lomon

Beth-lomon (1 Esdras 5:17). For Bethlehem of Judah.

Beth-maacah

A descriptive epithet of the city of Abel (2 Samuel 20:14, 15). where ‘Abel and B.’ should be ‘Abel of b: (cf . 1 Kings 15:20. 2 Kings 15:29). See Abel (of) Beth-Maacah.

Beth-biarcaboth

Beth-biarcaboth (‘place of chariots’ Joshua 19:5. 1 Chronicles 4:31). — A city of Simeon in the southern plains, near Ziklag, deserted in David’s time; site unknown.

Beth-meon

See Baal-Meon.

Beth-merhak

Beth-merhak (2 Samuel 15:17 RV, for AV ‘a place that was far off’; RVm ‘the Far House’).— Stade and others understand it to mean the last Jicmse of the city. No town so called is known between Jerusalem and Jericho.

Beth-millo

Beth-millo (Judges 9:6 RVm; 2 Kings 12:20 AVm, text ‘house of Millo’). — See Millo.

Beth-nimrah

Beth-nimrah (‘place of the leopard," Numbers 32:36 etc., called Nimrah v.’, and, some think, Nimrim Isaiah 15:6. see Nimeim). — A town in the territory E. of Jordan allotted to Reuben. It is represented by the modern Tell Nimrin, 6 miles E. of the Jordan, about 10 miles N. of the Dead Sea, on the S. bank of Wady Shaib.

W. EWINQ.

Beth-pazzez

Beth-pazzez (Joshua 19:21). A town of Issachar near En-gannim and En-haddah. The name has not been recovered.

Beth-pelet

Beth-pelet (RV; in AV Beth-palet, Joshua 15:27. Beth-phelet, Nehemiah 11:26). The Paltite, 2 Samuel 23:26, called by scribal error Pelonite in 1 Chronicles 11:27 27:10. was an inhabitant of this place. The site was south of Beersheba, but is unknown.

Beth-peor

A city belonging to Reuben (Jos13M), located most probably some four or five miles north of Mt. Nebo, near the Pisgah range. Just opposite to it, in the ravine (Wady HesbWn probably), the Israelites encamped (Deuteronomy 3:29 4). Moses was buried in the valley ‘over against Beth-peor’ (Deuteronomy 34:6). Conder suggests a site several miles to the S., near ‘Ain el-Minyeh, but the impression given by Numbers 25:1–3 is that the city was not so far distant from the plain of Shittim.

G. L. Robinson.

BETHPHAGE {‘house of figs’).— The place whence Christ, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, sent His disciples to fetch the ass (Matthew 21:1. Mark 11:1. Luke 19:29). It must have been close to Bethany, and is traditionally identified with Abu Dis, a village that satisfies this condition. R. A. S. Macalister.

Beth-rapha

(‘house of the giant’?). An unknown place mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Beth-rehob

A town or district near Laish (Judges 18:28). whose inhabitants joined the Ammonites against David (2 Samuel 10:6). Its site is unknown.

R. A. S. Macalister.

Bethsaida

A place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, whither Christ went after feeding the five thousand (Mark 6:45. cf. Luke 9:10). and where He healed a blind man (Mark 8:22) the home of Philip, Andrew, and Peter (John 1:44 12:21). It was denounced by Christ for unbelief (Matthew 11:21. Luke 10:13). The town was advanced by Philip the tetrarch from a village to the dignity of a city, and named Julias, in honour of Caesar’s daughter. The situation is disputed, and, indeed, authorities differ as to whether or not there were two places of the same name, one east, one west of the Jordan. Et~ Tell, on the northern shore of the sea, east of the Jordan, is generally identified with Bethsaida Julias: those who consider that the narrative of the crossings of the Lake (Mark 6:45) requires another site west of the Jordan, seek it usually at ‘Ain el- Tabigha near Khan Minyeh. The latest writers, however, seem inclined to regard the hypothetical second Bethsaida as unnecessary (see Sanday, Sacred Sites of the Gospels, p. 41), and to regard et- Tell as the scene of all the incidents recorded about the town. R. A. S. Macalister.

Beth-shean, Beth-shan

The site of this ancient stronghold, allotted to Manasseh, although in the territory of Issachar (Joshua 17:11 ff.: Judges 1:27), is marked by the great mound and village of Beisan, in the throat of the Vale of Jezreel, where it opens into the OhOr. Manasseh failed to eject the Oanaanites, but at a later date they were reduced to servitude. Here the Phihstines dishonoured the bodies of Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 31:7 ff.). During the Greek period it was known as Scythopolis ; but the ancient name again prevailed in the form of Beisdn. After changes of fortune in the Maccabiean struggle, and in the time immediately succeeding, it attained considerable prosperity as a member of the Decapolis (1 Maccabees 12:40. Jos. Ant. xiv. v. 3, BJ III. iv. 7, etc.). There must always have been a strong admixture of heathen inhabitants (Jos. Vila, 6; Abkoda Zarah i. 4). It is now in the hands of a body of Circassians. W. Ewinq.

Beth-shemesh

(‘house’ or ‘temple of the sun’). 1. A town in Judah (Joshua 15:10 etc., called Ir-Shemesh in Joshua 19:41) allotted to the children of Aaron (Joshua 21:16). Hither the ark was brought when sent back by the Philistines, and the inhabitants were smitten because of their profane curiosity (1 Samuel 6). Here Amaziah was defeated and captured by Jehoash, king of Israel (2 Kings 14:11, 13). It was one of the cities taken by the Philistines in the time of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:18). It is identified with the modern ‘Ain Shems, on the S. slope of Wady es-Surar, 16 miles W. of Jerusalem. 2. A city in Issachar (Joshua 19:22). unidentified. 3. A city in Naphtali (Joshua 19:38). unidentified. 4. A city in Egypt, a seat of heathen idolatry (Jeremiah 43:13). identified with the ancient Heliopohs, called ‘Ain Stiems by the Arabs (Wallis Budge, T!ie Nile, 2Slf.). W. Ewinq.

Beth-shittah

Beth-shittah (‘place of the acacia,’ Judges 7:22). In the vicinity of Abel-meholah. It is the present Shutta. a village on a knoll, in the Jezreel valley.

Bethsuba

Bethsuba (1 Maccabees 4:29, 61 6:7, 26, 3. to gsz iqu l ies 147, 2 Maccabees 13:19, 22). — The Greek form of Bethzur. In 2 Maccabees 11:5 Bethsuron.

Beth-tappuah

Beth-tappuah (‘place of apples.’ Joshua 15). A town of Judah in the Hebron mountains (seeTappuah in 1 Chronicles 2:43). Now the village Taffuh, west of Hebron.

Bethuel

1. The son of Nahor and Milcah, nephew of Abraham, and father of Laban and Rebekah (Genesis 22:23 24:15, 24, 4 25:20 28:2, 5). in Qn 28 (P) he"" is called ‘Bethuel the Syrian.’ 2. 1 Chronicles 4:30; or Bethiil (Joshua 19:4). See Bethel, 2.

Bethul

Bethul (Joshua 19:4). See Bethel, No. 2.

Bethulia

The locality of the scenes of the Book of Judith (Judith 4:6, 7 etc.). If not a synonym for Jerusalem itself, it is an unknown site south of the plain of Jezreel. Mithilyah from the similarity of the name, SanuT from its commanding position, and even Shechem, have all been suggested as possible sites.

E. W. G. Masterman.

Beth-zacharias

Beth-zacharias (1 Maccabees 6). village on the mountain pass, south of Jerusalem and west of Bethlehem, now the ruin Beit Sakaria. It was the scene of the defeat of Judas MaccabEeus by Lysias.

Beth-zub

Beth-zub (‘house of rock,’ Joshua 16. 1 Samuel 30:27 [in LXX), 1 Chronicles 2:45. 2 Chronicles 11:7. Nehemiah 3:16). The Bethsura of 1 Maccabees 4:29 etc. A town of Judah in the Hebron mountains, fortified by Rehoboam, and still important after the Captivity. Judas Maccabaeus here defeated the Greeks under Lysias in b.c. 165. It is the present ruined site, Beit Sur, on a cliff west of the Hebron road, near Halhul.

Betolion

Betolion (AV Betolius, 1 Esdras 5:21; in Ezra 2 Bethel). — Fifty-two persons of this place returned from captivity with Zerubbabel.

Betomasthau

Betomasthau a (Judith 15:4. AV Betomasthem) ; BETOMESTHAIM (4’, AVBetomestham).— Apparently N. of Bethulia and facing Dothan. There is a site called Deir Massin W. of the Dothan plain, but the antiquity of this name is doubtful.

Betonim

Betonim (Joshua 13:26). In N. Gilead. The name may survive in that of the Butein district, the extreme N. of Gilead.

Betrothing

See Marriage.

Betjlah

Betjlah (‘married’ [of a wife)). — An allegorical name applied to Israel by the Deutero-Isaiah (Is 62’- 1^). She was no longer to be a wife deserted by God, as she had been during the Captivity, but married (1) to God, (2) by a strange application of the figure, to her own sons.

Bewitch

See Magic.

Bewray

To bewray (from Anglo-Saxon prefix he and v}regan, to accuse) is not the same as to betray (from be and Lat. tradere to deliver). To bewray, now obsolete, means in AV to make known, reveal, as Mt 26" ‘thy speech bewrayeth thee.’ Adams (Works, ii. 328) distinguishes the two words thus: ‘he . . . will not bewray his disease, lest he betray his credit.’ Sometimes, however, bewray is used in an evil sense, and is scarcely distinguishable from betray. Cf. bawrayer in 2 Mao 41 ‘a bewrayer of the money, and of his country.’

Bezaanannim

(Joshua 19:33 RVm). See Zaanannim.

Bezai

1 One of those who sealed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:18). 2 The eponym of a family that returned with Zerub. (Ezra 2:17. Nehemiah 7:23) of 1 Esdras 5:16.

Bezalel

1. The chief architect of the Tabernacle. The name occurs only in P and in the Bk. of Chron. (1 Chronicles 2:20. 2 Chronicles 1:5). It probably signifies "in the shadow (i.e. under the protection) of El.’ According to P’s representation, Bezalel was expressly called by J" (Exodus 31:2) to superintend the erection of the ‘tent of meeting,’ and endowed with the special gifts required for the proper execution of his task (vv. 3, 5). He was also charged with the construction of the furniture for court and Tabernacle, as well as with the preparation of the priestly garments, and of the necessary oil and incense Among the gifts thus bestowed upon him, not the least was the gift of teaching the arts of which he was himself a master, to his subordinates (Exodus 35:34). the chief of whom was Oholiab (Exodus 31:6 35:34 etc.). 2. One of the sons of Pahath-moab who had married foreign wives (Ezra 10:30). A. R. S. Kennedy.

Bezek

Two places so called are perhaps to be distinguished in OT. 1. Judges 1:5. A place attacked by Judah after Joshua’s death, probably Bezkah, a ruin W. of Jerusalem, in the lower hills. 2. 1 Samuel 11:8, where Saul gathered Israel before advancing on Jabesh-gilead The most likely site in this connexion is the ruin Ibzik, N.E. of Shechem, opposite Jabesh.

Bezeb

Bezeb (‘fortress’).- 1. An Asherite (1 Chronicles 7:37). 2. A city belonging to Reuben, situated ‘in the wilderness, on the mlshor,’ or flat table-land, E. of Jordan (Deuteronomy 4:43. Joshua 20) a city of refuge allotted, according to P, to the Merarites (Joshua 21. whence 1 Chronicles 6:78 (ea)). It is mentioned also by Mesha’ (Moab. Stone, 1. 27), as being in ruins in his day, and as having been rebuilt by him, after his revolt from Ahab, and expulsion of the Israelites from the territory N. of the Arnon. From its being described as being in the ‘wilderness’ (cf. Deuteronomy 2:8) it may be inferred that it was situated towards the E. border of the Moabite table-land. The site has not yet been recovered.

Bezeth

An unknown site, apparently near Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 7:19).