Facial Chronicle - b.02, p.013 - Moses counting Benjamin's kinAnonymous Russian manuscript illuminators, 1560-1570s Facial Chronicle (Illustrated Chronicle of Ivan the Terrible) (in 10 volumes: pdf, pdf with translation)Public domain image

Bela

בֶּלַע/BEE-luh/

“Destruction, or swallowing up”

Summary

A name borne by several persons and places in Scripture, including a city later called Zoar, a king of Edom, and Benjamin's firstborn son.

☩The City (Zoar)

Bela was one of the five cities of the plain, along with Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which formed a confederation against the kings of Mesopotamia. It was the only city spared at Lot's intercession and was renamed Zoar ('little one'). It lay at the southern end of the Dead Sea on the frontier of Moab and the route to Egypt.

Key verses:Genesis 14:2Genesis 14:8Genesis 19:20-22

☩King of Edom

Bela son of Beor was the first named king who reigned over Edom before any king ruled in Israel. His city was Dinhabah. Some have identified him with Balaam the prophet, also called 'son of Beor,' but the evidence is not conclusive.

Key verses:Genesis 36:32-331 Chronicles 1:43-44

☩Son of Benjamin

Bela was Benjamin's firstborn son and head of the family of Belaites. From his descendants came notable figures including Ehud the judge, who delivered Israel from Moabite oppression by assassinating King Eglon.

Key verses:Genesis 46:21Numbers 26:38-401 Chronicles 7:6-7Judges 3:14-30

Related Verses14 mentions

1 Chronicles· 7 verses

1:43 1:44 5:8 7:6 7:7

Genesis· 5 verses

14:2 14:8 36:32 36:33 46:21

Numbers· 2 verses

26:38 26:40

References

1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Bela," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Bela," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).