BETH HOGLA to BETH NIMRAH

BETHHOGLA

A place on the border of the territory of the tribe of Judah Jos 15:6; 18:19, 21

BETHHORON

Two ancient cities of Canaan, near which Joshua defeated the Amorites Jos 10:10, 11; 16:3, 5; 18:13; 1Sa 13:18; 1Ch 7:24

Solomon builds 1Ki 9:17; 2Ch 8:5

Taken from the tribe of Judah by the ten tribes 2Ch 25:13

BETHJESHIMOTH

house of wastes, or deserts, a town near Abelshittim, east of Jordan, in the desert of Moab, where the Israelites encamped not long before crossing the Jordan (Num. 33:49; A.V., "Bethjesimoth").

It was within the territory of Sihon, king of the Amorites (Josh. 12:3).

A place in Moab Jos 12:3; 13:20; Eze 25:9

Called BETHJESIMOTH Nu 33:49

BETHJOAB

See ATAROTH

BETHLEBAOTH

A town of Simeon Jos 19:6

Called LEBAOTH Jos 15:32

And BETHBIREI 1Ch 4:31

BETHLEAPHRAH

(R.V. Micah 1:10), house of dust. The Authorized Version reads "in the house of Aphrah."

This is probably the name of a town in the Shephelah, or "low country," between Joppa and Gaza.

BETHLEHEM

house of bread.

(1.) A city in the "hill country" of Judah. It was originally called Ephrath (Gen. 35:16, 19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11). It was also called Bethlehem Ephratah (Micah 5:2), Bethlehemjudah (1 Sam. 17:12), and "the city of David" (Luke 2:4). It is first noticed in Scripture as the place where Rachel died and was buried "by the wayside," directly to the north of the city (Gen. 48:7). The valley to the east was the scene of the story of Ruth the Moabitess.

There are the fields in which she gleaned, and the path by which she and Naomi returned to the town. Here was David's birthplace, and here also, in after years, he was anointed as king by Samuel (1 Sam. 16:413); and it was from the well of Bethlehem that three of his heroes brought water for him at the risk of their lives when he was in the cave of Adullam (2 Sam. 23:1317).

But it was distinguished above every other city as the birthplace of "Him whose goings forth have been of old" (Matt. 2:6; comp. Micah 5:2). Afterwards Herod, "when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men," sent and slew "all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under" (Matt. 2:16, 18; Jer. 31:15).

Bethlehem bears the modern name of BeitLahm, i.e., "house of flesh." It is about 5 miles south of Jerusalem, standing at an elevation of about 2,550 feet above the sea, thus 100 feet higher than Jerusalem.

There is a church still existing, built by Constantine the Great (A.D. 330), called the "Church of the Nativity," over a grotto or cave called the "holy crypt," and said to be the "stable" in which Jesus was born. This is perhaps the oldest existing Christian church in the world. Close to it is another grotto, where Jerome the Latin father is said to have spent thirty years of his life in translating the Scriptures into Latin.

(See VERSION.)

(2.) A city of Zebulun, mentioned only in Josh. 19:15. Now BeitLahm, a ruined village about 6 miles westnorthwest of Nazareth.

1. A city southwest of Jerusalem Jud 17:7; 19:18 Called EPHRATAH and EPHRATH Ge 48:7; Ps 132:6; Mic 5:2 And BETHLEHEMJUDAH Jud 17:79; 19:1, 18; Ru 1:1; 1Sa 17:12 .Rachel dies and is buried at Ge 35:16, 19; 48:7 .The city of Boaz Ru 1:1, 19; 2:4; 4 .Taken and held by the Philistines 2Sa 23:1416 .Jeroboam converts it into a military stronghold 2Ch 11:6 .The city of Joseph Mt 2:5, 6; Lk 2:4 .Birthplace of Jesus Mic 5:2; Mt 2:1; Lk 2:4, 15 .Herod murders the infants of Mt 2:1618

2. A town of Zebulun, six miles west of Nazareth Jos 19:15 .Israel judged at Jud 12:10

BETHMAACHAH

A city of the territory of the tribe of Manasseh 2Sa 20:14, 15, 18; 2Ki 15:29

BETHMARCABOTH

A town of the territory of the tribe of Simeon Jos 19:5; 1Ch 4:31

Probably identied with MADMANNAH Jos 15:31

BETHMEON

See BAALMEON

BETHNIMRAH

A fenced city east of the Jordan River Jos 13:27

Called NIMRAH Nu 32:3