inspired writer here quoted the prophecy at Jeremiah 31:15 as applying, so that Rachel, whose grave lay near Bethlehem, and whose children through Benjamin had throughout Israelite history been loyal supporters of the Davidic dynasty, is in effect represented as rising up and weeping over these slaughtered infants.—Matt. 2:17, 18.

The original location of the stable in Bethlehem in which Jesus was born is unknown. While what is called the “Church of the Nativity” is built over a cave located about twenty feet (6 meters) below the floor of the church, this cave, to which one must descend by steps, hardly fits the description of a stable into which cattle could be led. Additionally, history shows that Emperor Hadrian devastated Bethlehem along with Jerusalem in the early part of the second century C.E. and is said to have planted a grove to the god Adonis in the area then traditionally held to have been the place of Jesus’ birth. This grove is stated to have remained there for some two centuries, after which Constantine’s mother, Helena, erected the church called the “Church of the Nativity.” Thus, the identification of the exact place of the stable is quite conjectural.

2. A town in the territory of Zebulun. (Josh. 19:10, 15) As noted above, it was probably from this Bethlehem that Judge Ibzan proceeded and in which he was buried, since no mention is made of Ephrath nor of Judah in the account. (Judg. 12:8-10) Bethlehem of Zebulun is located some seven miles (11 kilometers) W-NW of Nazareth.

BETHLEHEMITE

(Bethʹle·hem·ite).

An inhabitant of Bethlehem. In three of its four occurrences in the Bible, “Bethlehemite” is applied to Jesse, David’s father.—1 Sam. 16:1, 18; 17:58; 2 Sam. 21:19.

BETH-MAACAH

See ABEL-BETH-MAACAH.

BETH-MARCABOTH

(Beth-marʹca·both) [place of chariots].

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

BETH-MEON

(Beth-meʹon) [house of the habitation].

A city of Moab mentioned at Jeremiah 48:23, likely the same as Baal-meon or Beth-baal-meon.—See BAAL-MEON.

BETH-MERHAK

(Beth-merʹhak) [the far house, or, the most remote house].

When King David withdrew from Jerusalem due to the rebellion of his son Absalom, he stopped at Beth-merhak, perhaps the last house of Jerusalem in the direction of the Mount of Olives before crossing the Kidron valley. (2 Sam. 15:17, 23) It appears that at this point King David passed review of his forces as they were crossing over the valley, thus indicating that David was not engaged in a wild, panicky flight, but, rather, was making an orderly withdrawal from the city in harmony with divinely guided strategy.—2 Sam. 15:18-26.

BETH-NIMRAH

(Beth-nimʹrah) [place of the leopard or house of pure water].

A town assigned to the tribe of Gad on the E side of the Jordan, also called simply Nimrah. (Num. 32:3, 36) It is described as in the “low plain” and as previously forming part of the realm of King Sihon. (Josh. 13:27) The ancient name seems to be preserved in modern Tell Nimrin, situated on the S side of the Wadi Nimrin, but the original site is evidently at Tell Beibil, a short distance away, where investigations show evidence of occupation during the Israelite period followed by abandonment. It thus lay about twelve miles (19 kilometers) E-NE of Jericho.—See NIMRIM.

BETH-PAZZEZ

(Beth-pazʹzez) [house or place of dispersion].

A boundary town of Issachar. (Josh. 19:21) The location is uncertain, some favoring Kerm el-Hadetheh near the suggested site of En-haddah mentioned along with Beth-pazzez.

BETH-PELET

(Beth-pelʹet) [place of refuge or escape].

A town in the southern part of Judah’s inheritance. (Josh. 15:21, 27) It was among the Judean cities reoccupied after the Babylonian exile. (Neh. 11:26) The other towns listed with it indicate a location in the vicinity of Beer-sheba, but the identification is uncertain; some suggest Khirbet el-Meshash, about ten miles (16 kilometers) E of Beer-sheba.

BETH-PEOR

(Beth-peʹor) [house of Peor].

In the final year of their wilderness journey the nation of Israel was encamped “in the valley in front of Beth-peor.” (Deut. 3:29) The name Beth-peor links this place to “the Baal of Peor,” in the immoral rites of which the Israelites became ensnared.—Num. 25:1-3; see BAAL OF PEOR.

It was on the Plains of Moab, in the region of the Jordan, that Moses restated the Law to Israel, and thereafter Moses was buried “in the valley in the land of Moab in front of Beth-peor.” Beth-peor thus appears to have been in the “land of Moab,” that is, in land they had occupied, but in the territory more recently controlled by King Sihon of the Amorites, that is, until his defeat by the nation of Israel. (Deut. 4:46; 34:6) It was later assigned to the tribe of Reuben, being mentioned along with the “slopes of Pisgah and Beth-jeshinoth.”—Josh. 13:15, 20.

These texts all indicate a location near the NE end of the Dead Sea and facing the Plains of Moab. The precise location is uncertain. Nevertheless, Eusebius of the third century C.E. referred to such a place about six miles (10 kilometers) E of Livias (modern Tell er-Rameh). On this basis some suggest an identification with Khirbet esh-Sheikh-Jayil about five miles (8 kilometers) N-NE of the traditional site of Mount Nebo. This site is on the slope of a summit that may have been the “Peor” to which Balaam was taken as the final place to do cursing of Israel. If the above location is correct, then the “valley in front of Beth-peor” would likely be the Wadi Hesban.—Num. 23:28; Deut. 4:46; see PEOR.

BETHPHAGE

(Beth·phaʹge) [house of unripe figs].

The name of this place is believed to derive from that of the late-season figs, which, even when mature, do not give the appearance of being ripe.

Bethphage figures in the account of Jesus’ approach to Jerusalem and as the point from which he sent out his disciples to obtain the ass upon which he rode during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Nisan 9, of the year 33 C.E. (Matt. 21:1, 2; Mark 11:1, 2; Luke 19:29, 30) The references show it to be near Jerusalem, also near Bethany, and located on the Mount of Olives. While some consider Bethphage to have been located across the ravine to the SE of Bethany at present-day Abu-Dis, the traditional location is between Bethany and Jerusalem at Kefr et-Tur, on the SE slope of the Mount of Olives. From