Now Beit-ur, the name common to two neighboring towns in the northwest corner of Benjamin, still distinguished as the Upper and the Lower. These lay on two ridges, with valleys on each side; Beth-horon the Nether being separated from the Upper by a small valley, and a rocky and rough pass up the ridge on which Upper Beth-horon stood. The latter was nearest to Jerusalem about twelve miles from it; and both were on the usual routed to the seacoast. Down this pass Joshua drove the Amorites, and here Paul passed by night on his way to Antipatris, Jos 10:1-11; Ac 23:31-32.

house of the hollow, or of the cavern, the name of two towns or villages (2Ch 8:5; 1Ch 7:24) in the territory of Ephraim, on the way from Jerusalem to Joppa. They are distinguished as Beth-horon "the upper" and Beth-horon "the nether." They are about 2 miles apart, the former being about 10 miles north-west of Jerusalem. Between the two places was the ascent and descent of Beth-horon, leading from Gibeon down to the western plain (Jos 10:10-11; 18:13-14), down which the five kings of the Amorites were driven by Joshua in that great battle, the most important in which the Hebrews had been as yet engaged, being their first conflict with their enemies in the open field. Jehovah interposed in behalf of Israel by a terrific hailstorm, which caused more deaths among the Canaanites than did the swords of the Israelites. Beth-horon is mentioned as having been taken by Shishak, B.C. 945, in the list of his conquests, and the pass was the scene of a victory of Judas Maccabeus. (Comp. Ex 9:19,25; Job 38:22-23; Ps 18:12-14; Isa 30:30.) The modern name of these places is Beit-ur, distinguished by el-Foka, "the upper," and el-Tahta, "the nether." The lower was at the foot of the pass, and the upper, 500 feet higher, at the top, west of Gibeon. (See Gibeon.)

The upper and nether, two towns represented by the villages Beit 'Ur el-foka and Beit 'Ur et-tahta, said to have been built by Sheerah (1Ch 7:24). Their position, as commanding the ancient great highroad from the maritime plain into the heart of the mountains of Benjamin, made these places of great importance, and several celebrated battles occurred in their neighbourhood. Here Joshua defeated the Canaanites (Jos 10:10-14). Solomon fortified both these cities (2Ch 8:5; 1Ki 9:17). By this road Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah. Here Judas Maccab

BETH-HORON. About twelve miles from Jerusalem, lies the Arab village of Bethoor, where Dr. E. D. Clarke was by accident compelled to pass a night. It is noticed by no other traveller; and yet, there is the highest probability that this is the Beth-horon of the Scriptures. St. Jerom associates it with Rama, in the remark that they were in his time, together with other noble cities built by Solomon, only poor villages. Beth-horon stood on the confines of Ephraim and Benjamin; which, according to the learned traveller, exactly answers to the situation of Bethoor. He sup poses it, from its situation on a hill, to be Beth-horon the upper, the Beth-horon superior of Eusebius, of which frequent notice occurs in the apocryphal writings. Josephus mentions that Cestius, the Roman general, marched upon Jerusalem by way of Lydda and Beth-horon.