BETH-EZEL

(Beth-eʹzel).

A town, evidently in Judah, mentioned only in Micah’s prophecy foretelling the disaster due to come upon unfaithful Samaria and Jerusalem. (Mic 1:11) The prophet repeatedly makes a play on words in the use of the names of several towns in this portion of the prophecy, so that in reality he says: “In the house of Aphrah [probably meaning “Dust”] wallow in the very dust. Make your way across, O inhabitress of Shaphir [meaning “Elegant; Polished; Agreeable”], in shameful nudity. The inhabitress of Zaanan has not gone forth. The wailing of Beth-ezel [meaning “House Nearby (Alongside)”] will take from you people its standing place. For the inhabitress of Maroth [from a root meaning “be bitter”] has waited for good, but what is bad has come down from Jehovah to the gate of Jerusalem.” (Mic 1:10-12) The prophet’s warning, directed to those due to experience the disaster, thus in effect tells them that the wailing will spread to as far as Jerusalem.

Though the identification is only tentative, Beth-ezel has been located at the site of present-day Deir el-ʽAsal, about 16 km (10 mi) WSW of Hebron.