BETHEL . 1 . On a rocky knoll beside the great road to the north, about 12 miles from Jerusalem, stands the modern Beilîn , a village of some 400 inhabitants, which represents the ancient Bethel. Four springs furnish good water, and in ancient times they were supplemented by a reservoir hewn in the rock, south of the town. Luz was the original name of the town. The name Bethel was first applied to the stone which Jacob set up and anointed ( Genesis 28:22 ). See Pillar. But ‘the place’ ( Genesis 28:11 etc.) was evidently one with holy associations. It was visited by Abraham, who sacrificed here ( Genesis 12:8 ). This may have induced Jacob to come hither on his way to the north, and again on his return from Paddan-aram. From an eminence to the east almost the whole extent of the plains of Jericho is visible. This may have been the scene of Lot’s selfish choice ( Genesis 13:1-18 ). ‘Bethel’ in the end prevailed over ‘Luz,’ and the town came to be known by the name of the sanctuary, the neighbourhood of which lent it distinction. Bethel, a royal Canaanite city (Joshua 12:16 ), fell to Benjamin in the division of the land ( Joshua 18:22 ), but he failed to make good his possession. It was finally taken by Ephraim ( Judges 1:22 , 1 Chronicles 7:28 ). Hither the ark was brought from Gilgal ( Judges 20:18 LXX [Note: Septuagint.] ), and Bethel was resorted to as a place of sacrifice ( 1 Samuel 10:3 ). The prophetess Deborah dwelt between Bethel and Ramah ( Judges 4:5 ). In judging Israel, Samuel went from year to year in circuit to Bethel ( 1 Samuel 7:10 ). No doubt the ancient sanctity of the place led Jeroboam to choose Bethel as the site of the rival shrine, which he hoped might counteract the influence of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem ( 1 Kings 12:26 ff.). It became the great sanctuary of the Northern Kingdom, and the centre of the idolatrous priests who served in the high places ( 1 Kings 12:32 ff.). At Bethel, Jeroboam was denounced by the man of God out of Judah ( 1 Kings 13:19 ). It was one of the towns taken from Jeroboam by Abijah king of Judah ( 2 Chronicles 13:19 ). It is noteworthy that Elijah is silent regarding the calf-worship at Bethel; and that a school of the prophets, apparently in sympathy with him, flourished there ( 2 Kings 2:2 f.). But the denunciations of Amos ( 2Ki 3:14 , 2 Kings 4:4 , 2 Kings 5:5 etc.) and Hosea ( Hosea 4:15; Hosea 5:8 etc.) lack nothing in vehemence. The priest resided at Bethel, who was brought by the king of Assyria to teach the mixed peoples, who lived in the country during the Exile, the manner of the God of the land ( 2 Kings 17:29 ff.). Bethel was reoccupied by the returning exiles ( Ezra 2:28 etc.). We find it in the hands of Bacchides ( 1Ma 9:50 ). It was one of the towns ‘in the mountains’ taken by Vespasian in his march on Jerusalem (Jos. [Note: Josephus.] BJ IV. ix. 9). 2 . A town in Judah, not identified, called in different places, Bethul , Bethel, and Bethuel ( Joshua 19:4 , 1 Samuel 30:27 , 1 Chronicles 4:30 ). W. Ewing.
Bethel. [Beth'-el]1. Name, signifying 'house of God,' given to the place where God first appeared to Jacob in a dream. It led him to say, "Surely the Lord is in this place . . . . this is none other but the house of God . . . . and he called the name of that place Beth-el." Gen. 28:16-19. God thus gave to Jacob the apprehension that the house of God on earth — the gate of heaven — was to be connected with him and his seed, and afterwards God acknowledged the place and the name, saying, "I am the God of Beth-el," Gen. 31:13. To take Jacob out of a false position God bade him go up to Beth-el and dwell there, and Jacob felt he must take no idols there, so he told his household to put away the strange gods from among them, to be clean, and to change their garments. "He built there an altar and called the place El-beth-el;" and there God met him, revealed His name to him, and confirmed the change of his name to Israel (cf. Gen. 32:28-29), blessed him, and renewed His promises. Gen. 35:1-16. It was afterwards conquered and given to Benjamin. Joshua 12:9; Joshua 18:22; Judges 1:22. Apparently the tabernacle was pitched at Shiloh near Bethel, for Israel went there to inquire of God, and Samuel told Saul that he should meet three men "going up to God to Beth-el." Judges 21:19; 1 Sam. 10:3. At the division of the kingdom Beth-el fell to Israel, and Jeroboam set up there one of the golden calves to prevent the Israelites going to Jerusalem to worship. An altar was erected and sacrifices offered to the idol; but it was condemned by a man of God, and the altar was rent. 1 Kings 12:29-33; 1 Kings 13:1-32; Amos 7:10, 13. There were sons of the prophets dwelling at Beth-el, 2 Kings 2:3, but the idolatrous altar was not destroyed until the days of Josiah. 2 Kings 23:4, 15, 17, 19. Among those who returned from exile were men of Beth-el, and the place was again inhabited. Ezra 2:28; Neh. 7:32; Neh. 11:31. See also Hosea 10:15; Hosea 12:4; Amos 3:14; Amos 4:4; Amos 5:5-6. The city had been originally named Luz. It is now identified with Beitin, 31 56' N, 35 14' E, some 10 miles north of Jerusalem. It stands on a rocky ridge between two valleys, but has higher ground on each side except the south. Amos 5:5 said it should 'come to nought,' and now amid the scattered ruins are about 20 houses roughly formed out of the old materials. 'MOUNT BETH-EL' occurs in Joshua 16:1; 1 Sam. 13:2. See BETH-AVEN. 2. This name, found in Joshua 12:16 (not that in Joshua 12:9) and 1 Sam. 30:27, is probably a different place from the preceding because of the names associated with it, and was farther south. It is probably the same as Bethul, Bethuel. In the latter reference the LXX (Vat.) read Baethsur.
Beth’el - House of God