Beeroth
“Wells”
Summary
One of the four Hivite cities that deceived Joshua into making a peace treaty, later allotted to Benjamin.
☩Hivite Deception
Beeroth was one of four Hivite cities—along with Gibeon, Chephirah, and Kirjath-jearim—whose inhabitants deceived Joshua into making a covenant of peace by pretending to be from a distant land. Despite the deception, Israel honored the treaty and spared the cities.
☩Allotment and History
Beeroth was allotted to the tribe of Benjamin. From this town came the murderers of Ishbosheth—Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon—who assassinated Saul's son hoping to gain favor with David. Naharai, one of David's mighty men and Joab's armor-bearer, was also from Beeroth. Men of Beeroth were among those who returned from the Babylonian exile.
☩Location
Beeroth is commonly identified with el-Bireh, about eight to ten miles north of Jerusalem on the road to Nablus. According to Christian tradition, this was the place where Mary and Joseph first noticed that the child Jesus was not among their company on the return from Jerusalem.
Related Verses6 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Beeroth," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Beeroth," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 3.George Morrish, "Beeroth," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).