Since the Midianites were heading for the region of the Jordan, Beth-shittah must be located somewhere to the E or SE of the hill of Moreh and the well of Harod, in which vicinity the battle took place. (Judg. 7:l) Shattah, about three miles (5 kilometers) E of modern ʽEn-Harod, is suggested by some as the likely location and one giving evidence of the original name. Others consider it too near to the scene of the battle and recommend a location more to the SE, though offering no definite identification.

BETH-TAPPUAH

(Beth-tapʹpu·ah) [house or place of apples].

A city in the hill country near Hebron and part of Judah’s territorial inheritance. (Josh. 15:20, 48, 53) Some suggest it received its name from the Judean named Tappuah (1 Chron. 2:42, 43); however, it is also possible that Beth-tappuah (place of apples) was named from the apples that likely once grew there in abundance. It is identified today with modern Taffuh, four miles (6 kilometers) W-NW of Hebron, on a hill even today fruitful with olive trees and vineyards.—For information regarding TAPPUAH in the Shephelah of Judah and TAPPUAH and EN-TAPPUAH on the boundary of Ephraim and Manasseh, see those subjects.

BETHUEL

(Be·thu’el) [perhaps, abode of God].

1. Abraham’s nephew, born to his brother Nahor by Milcah. (Gen. 22:20, 22) Bethuel became father to Rebekah and Laban. (Gen. 22:23; 24:15, 24, 29) He later acknowledged the divine direction that brought Abraham’s slave to his home in search of a wife for Isaac, saying, along with Laban, “From Jehovah this thing has issued.” (Gen. 24:50) He is called a Syrian or Aramaean, dwelling in the flatlands of Aram.—Gen. 25:20; 28:2, 5.

2. A comparison of the lists of towns given at Joshua 15:30; 19:4 and 1 Chronicles 4:30 indicates that this town is also called Bethul and Chesil. It was in the southern part of the territory of Judah but assigned to the tribe of Simeon as an enclave city. It, therefore, appears also to be the “Bethel” referred to at 1 Samuel 30:27 as one of the places to which David sent portions of spoil as a gift. A tentative identiflcation is with Khirbet el-Qaryatein, about twelve miles (19 kilometers) S of Hebron; although some prefer Khirbet er-Ras about fourteen miles (23 kilometers) to the W of this site.—See CHESIL.

BETHUL

See BETHUEL No. 2.

BETHZATHA

(Beth·zaʹtha) [house of olives].

The Authorized Version renders this as “Bethesda” (house of mercy), but the oldest manuscripts give Bethzatha. The name occurs with reference to a pool bearing this name at which Jesus healed a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. (John 5:1-9) The pool is described as having five colonnades, in which large numbers of sick, blind and lame persons congregated, evidently attributing healing powers to the waters, particularly so immediately after the waters were disturbed. The last seven words of verse three as found in the Authorized Version and the fourth verse of this chapter, attributing the disturbing of the waters to an angel, are not to be found in some of the oldest Greek manuscripts and are viewed as an interpolation. Thus the Bible does not give any indication as to the cause of the water disturbance but merely shows the people’s belief in the curative powers of the waters.

The location of the pool is indicated by the evident reference to the “sheepgate” (although in the original Greek the word “gate” must be supplied), which gate is generally held to have been in the north part of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 3:1 shows that this gate was built by the priests and hence it is assumed to have been an entrance near the temple area. Additionally, the name Bethzatha is associated with the section of ancient Jerusalem called Bezetha, located to the north of the temple area. In Jesus’ day this sector lay outside the city walls, but Herod Agrippa I (who died 44 C.E.) added a third northern wall to the city during the rule of Claudius (41-54 C.E.), and this placed Bezetha within the city walls, so that John could properly speak of the pool as being “in Jerusalem,” as he had known the city before its destruction in 70 C.E.

In 1888 excavations just to the N of the temple site revealed a double pool divided by a rock partition and embracing an overall area about 150 feet by 300 feet (45.7 meters by 91.4 meters). Evidence of five colonnades existed and a faded fresco portraying an angel moving the waters, although the painting may well have been a later addition. The location thus seems to fit the Biblical description very well.

Some, however, would place the pool of Bethzatha at what is known as the Virgin’s Fountain to the south of the temple area and somewhat above the pool of Siloam. This identification, nevertheless, relies mainly upon the supposition that the disturbing of the waters was due to a spring with an intermittent flow. Since this pool is presently the only one fed by such a spring, they hold it to be the likely location. It should be noted, however, that the Bible record gives no indication as to the cause of the disturbance of the waters. This southern pool does not give evidence of accommodating large numbers of people, nor have any remains of colonnades been found there. Thus the weight of evidence favors the pool to the north.

BETH-ZUR

(Beth-zur) [house of a rock or cliff house].

A town in the mountainous region of Judah listed between Halhul and Gedor. (Josh. 15:58) The name is still preserved at modern Beit Sur, while excavations have shown the actual site of the ancient city to be at nearby Khirbet et-Tabeika. This location is about four and a half miles (7.2 kilometers) N of Hebron, with Gedor about three miles (4.8 kilometers) farther N and Halhul less than a mile to the S. It is described as the highest ruined town in Palestine, being situated on a hill some 3,325 feet (1,013.5 meters) above sea level. As it was near the highway leading N-S along the ridge of the watershed route and also guarded the routes leading to Mareshah and Libnah in the W, Beth-zur occupied a position of strategic importance.

Following the division of the kingdom, Beth-zur was one of fifteen cities rebuilt and fortified by King Rehoboam as a means of protecting Judah and Benjamin against invasion. (2 Chron. 11:5-12) It was among the cities reinhabited by the Jews returning from the Babylonian exile. (Neh. 3:16) During the Maccabean period Beth-zur (then called Bethsura) figured prominently in the Jews’ struggle against the Seleucid kings of Syria, the apocryphal book of First Maccabees describing a signal victory won there by Judas Maccabaeus against the Syrian forces (165 B.C.E.), following which he fortified the city again. (1 Maccabees 4:61; 6:26) In 162 B.C.E. the Syrians besieged the city and it eventually capitulated due to lack of food supplies. (1 Maccabees 6:30-50) It became a Syrian garrison, and General Bacchides strengthened its fortifications.—1 Maccabees 9:52.

Archaeological excavations at Beth-zur in 1931 revealed evidence of strong fortifications. Numerous coins were found dating from the fourth to the second century B.C.E., including silver Jewish coins believed to date from the Persian period or about the fourth century B.C.E.

The name Beth-zur appears in a genealogical list of the descendants of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel at 1 Chronicles 2:45. Maon is there said to be “the father of Beth-zur.” Many commentators understand Beth-zur to refer to the town of that name, Maon in such case being the father of those settling there, or perhaps the chief or principal one of the city.—See ATROTH-BETH-JOAB.