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 21:15 ). Hither the ark was brought when sent back by the Philistines, and the inhabitants were smitten because of their profane curiosity ( 1 Samuel 6:1-21 ). Here Amaziah was defeated and captured by Jehoash, king of Israel ( 2 Kings 14:11; 2 Kings 14:13 ). 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 Wâdy es-Surâr , 15 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 Heliopolis, called ‘Ain Shems by the Arabs (Wallis Budge, The Nile , 281f.). W. Ewing.