Reference: Bethel
American
House of God, the name of a city west of Hai, on the confines of the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin, Ge 12:8; 28:10-22, and occupying the spot where Jacob slept and had his memorable dream, the name he then gave it superseding the old name Luz, Jg 1:23. Thirty years after, he again pitched his tent there, Ge 35:1-15. It was captured by Joshua, and given to Benjamin, Jos 12:9; 18:22. The Ephraimites, however, expelled the Canaanites, Jg 1:22-26. Here the ark of the covenant, and probably the tabernacle, long remained, Jg 20:26; 1Sa 10:3. Samuel held his court here in turn, 1Sa 7:16. After Solomon, it became a seat of gross idolatry; Jeroboam choosing it as the place for one of his golden calves, from the sacredness previously attached to it, 1Ki 12:29. The prophets were charged with messages against Bethel, 1Ki 13:1-2; Jer 48:13; Am 3:14; 7:10. The first of these was fulfilled by Josiah, 2Ki 23:13; and the others in the later desolation of Bethel, where nothing but ruins can now be found. Its site was identified by Dr. Robinson, in the place now called Beitin. It is twelve miles from Jerusalem towards Shechem, on the southern side of a hill, with a narrow and fertile valley on the east, and the long-traveled road on the west. At the bottom of the hill are the remains of a vast stone reservoir, of an ancient Hebrew age.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
So Jacob went forth from Beer-sheba, and journeyed towards Haran. And he lighted on a place, and tarried the night there, because the sun had gone in, - and he took of the stones of the place, and put for his pillow, and lay down in that place, read more. And he dreamed, and lo! a stairway, planted earthwards, with, its top, reaching towards the heavens, - and lo! messengers of God, ascending and descending thereon; and lo! Yahweh, standing by him, - and he said, I, am Yahweh, God of Abraham thy father and God of Isaac, - The land whereon, thou, art lying, to thee, will I give it and to thy seed; And thy seed shall become as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt break forth westward and eastward, and northward and southward, - And all the families of the ground shall be blessed in thee and in thy seed. Lo! then, I, am with thee, so will I keep thee in every place whithersoever thou mayest go, and will bring thee back unto this soil, - For I will not forsake thee until I have done that of which I have spoken to thee. And Jacob awoke from his sleep, and said. Surely, Yahweh was in this place, And I, knew it not. And he feared and said, How fearful is this place! None other this, than the house of God! Nor this than the gate of the heavens So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone which he halt lint for his pillow, and put it for a pillar, - and poured out oil upon the top thereof; and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, - If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way whereon, I, am going, and give me bread to eat and raiment to put on; and I come back in prosperity unto the house of my father, Then will Yahweh prove to be my God, - And, this stone which I have put for a pillar, shall be the house of God, - And, of all which thou shalt give me, a tenth, will I tithe unto thee.
Then said God unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, - and make there an altar, to the GOD who appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. And Jacob said unto his house, and unto all who were with him, - Put away the gods of the alien which are in your midst, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; read more. And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, - that I may make there an altar to the GOD who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went. So they gave unto Jacob all the gods of the alien which were in their hand, and the earrings which were in their ears, - and Jacob hid them under the oak, which was by Shechem. And they brake up, - and it came to pass that the terror of God, was on the cities which were round about them, so that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came in towards Luz, which was in the land of Canaan, the same, is Beth-el, - he and all the people who were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el, - because, there, God revealed himself unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother, And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and was buried below Beth-el, under the oak, - so the name thereof was called, Allon-bacuth. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came in from Padan-aram, - and blessed him. And God said to him, Thy name, is Jacob, - Thy name shall no longer he called Jacob But, Israel, shall be thy name. So he called his name, Israel. And God said to him - I, am GOD Almighty! Be fruitful and multiply, A nation, and a multitude of nations shall spring from thee, - And, kings, from thy loins, shall come forth; And, the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, To thee, will I give it, - And to thy seed after thee, will I give the land. And God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, - and he poured out thereon a drink-offering, and poured thereon oil. And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him, Beth-el.
Then went up the house of Joseph - they also, - unto Bethel, - and, Yahweh, was with them. And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel, - now, the name of the city, formerly, was, Luz.
And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel, - now, the name of the city, formerly, was, Luz. So the watchers saw a man, coming forth from the city, - and they said unto him - Shew us, we pray thee, the way to get into the city, and we will deal with thee, in lovingkindness. read more. And he shewed them the way to get into the city, and they smote the city, with the edge of the sword, - but, the man and all his family, they let go. And the man went into the land of the Hittites, - and built a city, and called the name thereof, Luz, that, is the name thereof, unto this day.
Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, - and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.
And he used to take his journey, from year to year, and go round to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, - and used to judge Israel, at all these places.
And lo! a man of God, came in out of Judah, by the word of Yahweh, unto Bethel, - as Jeroboam was standing by the altar, to make a perfume. And he made proclamation against the altar, by the word of Yahweh, and said, O altar! altar! Thus, saith Yahweh, - Lo! a son to be born unto the house of David, Josiah his name, who shall sacrifice upon thee the priests of the high-places, who are making a perfume upon thee, and, human bones, shall be burned upon thee;
and, the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of destruction, which Solomon king of Israel had built unto Ashtoreth - the abomination of the Zidonians, and unto Chemosh - the abomination of the Moabites, and unto Milcom - the disgusting thing of the sons of Ammon, did the king defile;
Then shall Moab, be ashamed, of, Chemosh, - Just as, the sons of Israel, were ashamed of Bethel their confidence.
That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground;
Then sent Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, unto Jeroboam king of Israel, saying: A conspiracy hath Amos, raised against thee, in the midst of the house of Israel, The land, is not able to endure, all his words;
Easton
house of God.
(1.) A place in Central Palestine, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, at the head of the pass of Michmash and Ai. It was originally the royal Canaanite city of Luz (Ge 28:19). The name Bethel was at first apparently given to the sanctuary in the neighbourhood of Luz, and was not given to the city itself till after its conquest by the tribe of Ephraim. When Abram entered Canaan he formed his second encampment between Bethel and Hai (Ge 12:8); and on his return from Egypt he came back to it, and again "called upon the name of the Lord" (Ge 13:4). Here Jacob, on his way from Beersheba to Haran, had a vision of the angels of God ascending and descending on the ladder whose top reached unto heaven (Ge 28:10,19); and on his return he again visited this place, "where God talked with him" (Ge 35:1-15), and there he "built an altar, and called the place El-beth-el" (q.v.). To this second occasion of God's speaking with Jacob at Bethel, Hosea (Ho 12:4-5) makes reference.
In troublous times the people went to Bethel to ask counsel of God (Jg 20:18,31; 21:2). Here the ark of the covenant was kept for a long time under the care of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron (Jg 20:26-28). Here also Samuel held in rotation his court of justice (1Sa 7:16). It was included in Israel after the kingdom was divided, and it became one of the seats of the worship of the golden calf (1Ki 12:28-33; 13:1). Hence the prophet Hosea (Ho 4:15; 5:8; 10:5,8) calls it in contempt Beth-aven, i.e., "house of idols." Bethel remained an abode of priests even after the kingdom of Israel was desolated by the king of Assyria (2Ki 17:28-29). At length all traces of the idolatries were extirpated by Josiah, king of Judah (2Ki 23:15-18); and the place was still in existence after the Captivity (Ezr 2:28; Ne 7:32). It has been identified with the ruins of Beitin, a small village amid extensive ruins some 9 miles south of Shiloh.
(2.) Mount Bethel was a hilly district near Bethel (Jos 16:1; 1Sa 13:2).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
unto the place of the altar, which he made there at first, - and Abram called there, on the name of Yahweh.
and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime.
and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime.
Then said God unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, - and make there an altar, to the GOD who appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. And Jacob said unto his house, and unto all who were with him, - Put away the gods of the alien which are in your midst, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; read more. And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, - that I may make there an altar to the GOD who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went. So they gave unto Jacob all the gods of the alien which were in their hand, and the earrings which were in their ears, - and Jacob hid them under the oak, which was by Shechem. And they brake up, - and it came to pass that the terror of God, was on the cities which were round about them, so that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came in towards Luz, which was in the land of Canaan, the same, is Beth-el, - he and all the people who were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el, - because, there, God revealed himself unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother, And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and was buried below Beth-el, under the oak, - so the name thereof was called, Allon-bacuth. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came in from Padan-aram, - and blessed him. And God said to him, Thy name, is Jacob, - Thy name shall no longer he called Jacob But, Israel, shall be thy name. So he called his name, Israel. And God said to him - I, am GOD Almighty! Be fruitful and multiply, A nation, and a multitude of nations shall spring from thee, - And, kings, from thy loins, shall come forth; And, the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, To thee, will I give it, - And to thy seed after thee, will I give the land. And God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, - and he poured out thereon a drink-offering, and poured thereon oil. And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him, Beth-el.
And there remained not a man, in Ai or Bethel, who had not gone out after Israel, - and they left the city, open, and pursued Israel.
Then came out the lot, for the sons of Joseph, from the Jordan by Jericho, at the waters of Jericho, eastward, - the desert, going up from Jericho, through the hill country to Bethel;
And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh said - Judah, first.
Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, - and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh. And the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, - there, being the ark of the covenant of God, in those days; read more. and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh said - Go up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.
And the sons of Benjamin came forth against the people, they were drawn away from the city, - and began to smite of the people, slaying as time after time, in the highways, whereof, one, goeth up to Bethel, and, the other, to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men in Israel.
So then the people came to Bethel, and abode there, until the evening, before God, - and lifted up their voice, and wept bitterly,
And he used to take his journey, from year to year, and go round to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, - and used to judge Israel, at all these places.
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, - and said unto them - It is, too much for you, to go up to Jerusalem, Lo! thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; And he set the one in Bethel, - and, the other, put he in Dan. read more. And this thing became a sin, - and the people went before the one, as far as Dan. And he made a house of high-places, - and made priests from the whole compass of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam made a festival in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival which was held in Judah, and offered up on the altar, likewise, did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made, - and he kept in attendance in Bethel, the priests of the high-places which he had made. And he offered up on the altar which he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month which he had devised out of his own heart, - thus made he a festival for the sons of Israel, and offered up on the altar, to make a perfume.
And lo! a man of God, came in out of Judah, by the word of Yahweh, unto Bethel, - as Jeroboam was standing by the altar, to make a perfume.
Then came one of the priests whom they had carried away captive from Samaria, and dwelt in Bethel, - and he began teaching them how they should do reverence unto Yahweh. Howbeit the nations severally were making their own gods, - and did put them in the houses of the high places, which, the Samaritans, had made, each several nation, in their cities wherein, they, were dwelling.
moreover also, the altar that was in Bethel, the high place which Jeroboam son of Nebat made, wherewith he caused, Israel, to sin, - even that altar, and the high place, brake he down, - and burned the high place, crushing it to powder, and burned a Sacred Stem. And, when Josiah turned, and saw the graves which were there, in the mount, he sent and took the bones out of the graves, and burned upon the altar, and defiled it, - according to the word of Yahweh, which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. read more. Then said he - What is yonder erection, which I do see? And the men of the city said unto him - The grave of the man of God, who came in out of Judah, and proclaimed these things, which thou hast done, concerning the altar of Bethel. And he said - Let him rest, let, no man, disturb his bones. So they let his bones rest, with the bones of the prophet who came in out of Samaria.
The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;
Though unchaste art thou, O Israel, let not Judah, become guilty, neither let them enter Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, and then swear, By the life of Yahweh!
Blow ye a horn in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah, - sound an alarm at Beth-aven, behind thee, O Benjamin!
About the calves of Beth-aven, will the inhabitant of Samaria be concerned, - for the people thereof, have mourned over it, and, the ascetics thereof, who, over it, used to exult, shall mourn for the glory thereof, because it hath departed therefrom.
So shall the high places of Aven, be destroyed, the sin of Israel, Thorn and prickle, shall come up on their altars, - Therefore shall they say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall on us.
Yea he strove against a Messenger, and prevailed, he wept, and made supplication unto him, - At Bethel, he found him, and, there, he spake with us; And, Yahweh, is God of host, - Yahweh, is his memorial.
Fausets
("house of God".)
1. Abram pitched his tent on a mountain E. of Bethel, abounding in pasture (Ge 12:8; 13:3). The city, near the place, then bore the Canaanite name Luz. Bethel is the name given by anticipation to the place; appropriately so, as Abram virtually made it the "house of God." It was expressly so named by Jacob, when he had the vision of the heavenly ladder, on his way from his father at Beersheba to Harsh (Ge 28:19; 31:13). He set up a pillar, and anointed it with oil, to mark the place where God spoke with him. Bethel, the place, is expressly distinguished from Luz, the old Canaanite city. "Jacob called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of that city was called Luz at the first" (Jos 16:1-2). The naming of Bethel Jacob repeated more publicly on his return home, 20 years later, with his family purified of idols, when God again appeared to him, and confirmed his change of name to Israel (Ge 35:1-15; 32:28).
Bethel belonged by lot to Benjamin, but was falcon by Ephraim (Bethel being on his southern border) through the treachery of an inhabitant (Jg 1:22-26). It was about 12 miles N. of Jerusalem. In Jg 20:26 translate for "the house of God" Bethel. During the civil war with Benjamin the tribes took the ark thither to consult God (compare 1Sa 10:3). It was one of Samuel's towns of circuit for judging (1Sa 7:16). One of Jeroboam's two sanctuaries for the calf worship, selected doubtless because of its religious associations (1 Kings 12-13). There the prophet from Judah foretold the overthrow of the calf altar by Josiah. Abijah, king of Judah, took Bethel from Jeroboam (2Ch 13:19), but it was soon recovered by Israel. Under Ahab the Baal worship at Samaria and Jezreel drew off attention from the calf worship at Bethel. This accounts for a school of prophets of Jehovah being there in Elijah's time (2Ki 2:2-3).
The existence of "bears," two, near the town, implies that Bethel was then less frequented (2Ki 2:23-25). Under Jehu, who restored the calf worship, and Jeroboam II his great grandson, Bethel comes again into prominence (2Ki 10:29). Bethel became the king's chapel" (sanctuary) "the king's court" ("house of the kingdom") (Am 7:13; 3:14-15). More altars, besides the original one were erected. "Summer and winter houses" too, and "great houses" and "houses of ivory." After the overthrow of Israel, the king of Assyria sent one of the Israelite priests to settle at Bethel, and teach the new settlers from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, "the manner of the god of the land," and "how they should fear Jehovah" (2Ki 17:27-28). Josiah, as foretold, defiled the altar with dead men's bones, but disturbed not the sepulchre of the prophet of Judab when he discerned its title. It was ordered by God that the votaries of the calf worship at Bethel never dared to violate the sepulchre and title of the prophet who denounced their idol. The worship of Jehovah and of the calves had been all along strangely blended. (See BETHAVEN.)
Among those returning from captivity were men of Bethel (Ezr 2:28; Ne 7:32; 11:31.) The ruins, covering three or four acres, still bear a like name, Beitin, on a low bill, between two wadies, which unite in the main valley of es-Suweinit, toward the S.E. Bethel still abounds in stones such as Jacob used for his pillow and afterward for a sanctuary. On the round mount S.E. of Bethel. Abram doubtless built the altar, and afterwards stood with Lot when giving him his choice of the land (Ge 12:7; 13:10). E. of this mount stands the ruin Tel er Rijmah, "the mound of the heap," answering to Ai or Hai. Ritter makes Medinet Gai answer to Ai.
2. A town in southern Judah (Jos 12:16; 1Sa 30:27). Bethel in Jos 19:4 answers to Chesil in Jos 15:30. Bethuel, 1Ch 4:30. Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho under the curse (1Ki 16:34).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Yahweh appeared unto Abram, and said: To thy seed, will I give this land, - And he built there an altar, unto Yahweh who appeared unto him.
And Yahweh appeared unto Abram, and said: To thy seed, will I give this land, - And he built there an altar, unto Yahweh who appeared unto him. And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
And he went his way, by his removals, from the South even as far as to Bethel, - as far as the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai:
And he went his way, by his removals, from the South even as far as to Bethel, - as far as the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai:
So Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the circuit of the Jordan, that the whole of it, was well-watered, - before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the Garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as thou enterest into Zoar.
So Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the circuit of the Jordan, that the whole of it, was well-watered, - before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the Garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as thou enterest into Zoar.
and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime.
and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime.
I, am the GOD of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow to me a vow, - Now, rise, go forth out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
I, am the GOD of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow to me a vow, - Now, rise, go forth out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
Then he said - Not Jacob, shall thy name be called any more, but Israel, - For thou hast contended with God and with men and hast prevailed.
Then he said - Not Jacob, shall thy name be called any more, but Israel, - For thou hast contended with God and with men and hast prevailed.
Then said God unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, - and make there an altar, to the GOD who appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
Then said God unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, - and make there an altar, to the GOD who appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. And Jacob said unto his house, and unto all who were with him, - Put away the gods of the alien which are in your midst, and purify yourselves, and change your garments;
And Jacob said unto his house, and unto all who were with him, - Put away the gods of the alien which are in your midst, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, - that I may make there an altar to the GOD who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went.
And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, - that I may make there an altar to the GOD who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went. So they gave unto Jacob all the gods of the alien which were in their hand, and the earrings which were in their ears, - and Jacob hid them under the oak, which was by Shechem.
So they gave unto Jacob all the gods of the alien which were in their hand, and the earrings which were in their ears, - and Jacob hid them under the oak, which was by Shechem. And they brake up, - and it came to pass that the terror of God, was on the cities which were round about them, so that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob.
And they brake up, - and it came to pass that the terror of God, was on the cities which were round about them, so that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came in towards Luz, which was in the land of Canaan, the same, is Beth-el, - he and all the people who were with him.
And Jacob came in towards Luz, which was in the land of Canaan, the same, is Beth-el, - he and all the people who were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el, - because, there, God revealed himself unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother,
And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el, - because, there, God revealed himself unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother, And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and was buried below Beth-el, under the oak, - so the name thereof was called, Allon-bacuth.
And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and was buried below Beth-el, under the oak, - so the name thereof was called, Allon-bacuth. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came in from Padan-aram, - and blessed him.
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came in from Padan-aram, - and blessed him. And God said to him, Thy name, is Jacob, - Thy name shall no longer he called Jacob But, Israel, shall be thy name. So he called his name, Israel.
And God said to him, Thy name, is Jacob, - Thy name shall no longer he called Jacob But, Israel, shall be thy name. So he called his name, Israel. And God said to him - I, am GOD Almighty! Be fruitful and multiply, A nation, and a multitude of nations shall spring from thee, - And, kings, from thy loins, shall come forth;
And God said to him - I, am GOD Almighty! Be fruitful and multiply, A nation, and a multitude of nations shall spring from thee, - And, kings, from thy loins, shall come forth; And, the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, To thee, will I give it, - And to thy seed after thee, will I give the land.
And, the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, To thee, will I give it, - And to thy seed after thee, will I give the land. And God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him.
And God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, - and he poured out thereon a drink-offering, and poured thereon oil.
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, - and he poured out thereon a drink-offering, and poured thereon oil. And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him, Beth-el.
And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him, Beth-el.
Then came out the lot, for the sons of Joseph, from the Jordan by Jericho, at the waters of Jericho, eastward, - the desert, going up from Jericho, through the hill country to Bethel;
Then came out the lot, for the sons of Joseph, from the Jordan by Jericho, at the waters of Jericho, eastward, - the desert, going up from Jericho, through the hill country to Bethel; and it goeth out from Bethel towards Luz, - and passeth over unto the boundary of the Archites at Ataroth;
and it goeth out from Bethel towards Luz, - and passeth over unto the boundary of the Archites at Ataroth;
Then went up the house of Joseph - they also, - unto Bethel, - and, Yahweh, was with them.
Then went up the house of Joseph - they also, - unto Bethel, - and, Yahweh, was with them. And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel, - now, the name of the city, formerly, was, Luz.
And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel, - now, the name of the city, formerly, was, Luz. So the watchers saw a man, coming forth from the city, - and they said unto him - Shew us, we pray thee, the way to get into the city, and we will deal with thee, in lovingkindness.
So the watchers saw a man, coming forth from the city, - and they said unto him - Shew us, we pray thee, the way to get into the city, and we will deal with thee, in lovingkindness. And he shewed them the way to get into the city, and they smote the city, with the edge of the sword, - but, the man and all his family, they let go.
And he shewed them the way to get into the city, and they smote the city, with the edge of the sword, - but, the man and all his family, they let go. And the man went into the land of the Hittites, - and built a city, and called the name thereof, Luz, that, is the name thereof, unto this day.
And the man went into the land of the Hittites, - and built a city, and called the name thereof, Luz, that, is the name thereof, unto this day.
Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, - and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.
Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, - and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.
And he used to take his journey, from year to year, and go round to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, - and used to judge Israel, at all these places.
And he used to take his journey, from year to year, and go round to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, - and used to judge Israel, at all these places.
Then shalt thou pass on quickly from thence onwards, and come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there shall find thee there, three men going up unto God, at Bethel, - one, carrying three kids, and, another, carrying three cakes of bread, and, another, carrying a skin of wine;
Then shalt thou pass on quickly from thence onwards, and come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there shall find thee there, three men going up unto God, at Bethel, - one, carrying three kids, and, another, carrying three cakes of bread, and, another, carrying a skin of wine;
In his days, did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, - At the price of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and, at the price of Segub his youngest, he set up its doors, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake through Joshua son of Nun.
In his days, did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, - At the price of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and, at the price of Segub his youngest, he set up its doors, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake through Joshua son of Nun.
Then said Elijah unto Elisha - Tarry here, I pray thee, for, Yahweh, hath sent me as far as Bethel. And Elisha said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
Then said Elijah unto Elisha - Tarry here, I pray thee, for, Yahweh, hath sent me as far as Bethel. And Elisha said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord, from thy head? And he said - I also, know, be silent.
And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord, from thy head? And he said - I also, know, be silent.
And he went up from thence, to Bethel, - and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head!
And he went up from thence, to Bethel, - and, as he was going up on the way, some lads, came forth, out of the city, and made mockery of him, and said to him, Go up, bald head! Go up, bald head! And, when he turned round and saw them, he cursed them, in the name of Yahweh, - and there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare, of them, forty-two youths.
And, when he turned round and saw them, he cursed them, in the name of Yahweh, - and there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare, of them, forty-two youths. And he went from thence, unto Mount Carmel, - and, from thence, he returned, to Samaria.
And he went from thence, unto Mount Carmel, - and, from thence, he returned, to Samaria.
Nevertheless, as for the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused, Israel, to commit, Jehu turned not away from following them, - the calves of gold, one being in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
Nevertheless, as for the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused, Israel, to commit, Jehu turned not away from following them, - the calves of gold, one being in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
So the king of Assyria commanded, saying - Carry thither, one of the priests, whom ye brought away captive from thence, that they may go, and dwell there, - and teach them the custom of the God of the land.
So the king of Assyria commanded, saying - Carry thither, one of the priests, whom ye brought away captive from thence, that they may go, and dwell there, - and teach them the custom of the God of the land. Then came one of the priests whom they had carried away captive from Samaria, and dwelt in Bethel, - and he began teaching them how they should do reverence unto Yahweh.
Then came one of the priests whom they had carried away captive from Samaria, and dwelt in Bethel, - and he began teaching them how they should do reverence unto Yahweh.
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and captured from him, cities, even Bethel, with the villages thereof, and Jeshanah, with the villages thereof, - and Ephron, with the villages thereof;
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and captured from him, cities, even Bethel, with the villages thereof, and Jeshanah, with the villages thereof, - and Ephron, with the villages thereof;
The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;
The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;
And, the sons of Benjamin, dwelt from Geba, to Michmas and Aija, and Bethel, and the hamlets thereof:
And, the sons of Benjamin, dwelt from Geba, to Michmas and Aija, and Bethel, and the hamlets thereof:
That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground;
That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground; And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, - and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.
And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, - and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.
But, at Bethel, not again, any more, mayest thou prophesy, - for, the holy place of the king, it is, and, the house of the kingdom, it is.
But, at Bethel, not again, any more, mayest thou prophesy, - for, the holy place of the king, it is, and, the house of the kingdom, it is.
Hastings
1. On a rocky knoll beside the great road to the north, about 12 miles from Jerusalem, stands the modern Beil
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
And he lighted on a place, and tarried the night there, because the sun had gone in, - and he took of the stones of the place, and put for his pillow, and lay down in that place,
And, this stone which I have put for a pillar, shall be the house of God, - And, of all which thou shalt give me, a tenth, will I tithe unto thee.
Then went up the house of Joseph - they also, - unto Bethel, - and, Yahweh, was with them.
she used to sit, therefore, under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hill country of Ephraim, - and the sons of Israel came up to her, for justice.
And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh said - Judah, first.
And, when Samuel was offering up the ascending-sacrifice, the Philistines, drew near to fight against Israel, - but Yahweh thundered with a great noise throughout that day, over the Philistines, and confused them, and they were smitten before Israel.
Then shalt thou pass on quickly from thence onwards, and come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there shall find thee there, three men going up unto God, at Bethel, - one, carrying three kids, and, another, carrying three cakes of bread, and, another, carrying a skin of wine;
And Jeroboam said in his heart, - Now, shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
And Jeroboam made a festival in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival which was held in Judah, and offered up on the altar, likewise, did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made, - and he kept in attendance in Bethel, the priests of the high-places which he had made.
Then said Elijah unto Elisha - Tarry here, I pray thee, for, Yahweh, hath sent me as far as Bethel. And Elisha said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
Then said Elisha - By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, were it not that, the countenance of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would lift up, I would neither look at thee, nor see thee.
And, when thou hast come in, then shalt thou shut the door behind thee and behind thy sons, and shalt pour out into all these vessels, - and, that which is full, shalt thou set aside.
And the king of Syria said - Go, get in, that I may send a letter unto the king of Israel. So he went, and took in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
Howbeit the nations severally were making their own gods, - and did put them in the houses of the high places, which, the Samaritans, had made, each several nation, in their cities wherein, they, were dwelling.
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and captured from him, cities, even Bethel, with the villages thereof, and Jeshanah, with the villages thereof, - and Ephron, with the villages thereof;
The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;
Though unchaste art thou, O Israel, let not Judah, become guilty, neither let them enter Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, and then swear, By the life of Yahweh!
Blow ye a horn in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah, - sound an alarm at Beth-aven, behind thee, O Benjamin!
Morish
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." Ge 28:16-19. God thus gave to Jacob the apprehension that the house of God on earth
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jacob awoke from his sleep, and said. Surely, Yahweh was in this place, And I, knew it not. And he feared and said, How fearful is this place! None other this, than the house of God! Nor this than the gate of the heavens read more. So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone which he halt lint for his pillow, and put it for a pillar, - and poured out oil upon the top thereof; and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime.
I, am the GOD of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow to me a vow, - Now, rise, go forth out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
Then he said - Not Jacob, shall thy name be called any more, but Israel, - For thou hast contended with God and with men and hast prevailed. Then asked Jacob and said, Do, I pray thee, tell me thy name! And he said - Wherefore now, shouldest thou ask for my name? And he blessed him there,
Then said God unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, - and make there an altar, to the GOD who appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. And Jacob said unto his house, and unto all who were with him, - Put away the gods of the alien which are in your midst, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; read more. And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, - that I may make there an altar to the GOD who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went. So they gave unto Jacob all the gods of the alien which were in their hand, and the earrings which were in their ears, - and Jacob hid them under the oak, which was by Shechem. And they brake up, - and it came to pass that the terror of God, was on the cities which were round about them, so that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came in towards Luz, which was in the land of Canaan, the same, is Beth-el, - he and all the people who were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el, - because, there, God revealed himself unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother, And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and was buried below Beth-el, under the oak, - so the name thereof was called, Allon-bacuth. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came in from Padan-aram, - and blessed him. And God said to him, Thy name, is Jacob, - Thy name shall no longer he called Jacob But, Israel, shall be thy name. So he called his name, Israel. And God said to him - I, am GOD Almighty! Be fruitful and multiply, A nation, and a multitude of nations shall spring from thee, - And, kings, from thy loins, shall come forth; And, the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, To thee, will I give it, - And to thy seed after thee, will I give the land. And God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, - and he poured out thereon a drink-offering, and poured thereon oil. And Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him, Beth-el. Then brake they up from Beth-el, and it came to pass when there was yet a stretch of country, to enter into Ephrath, that Rachel was in childbirth, and had hard-labour in her child-birth.
Then came out the lot, for the sons of Joseph, from the Jordan by Jericho, at the waters of Jericho, eastward, - the desert, going up from Jericho, through the hill country to Bethel;
Then went up the house of Joseph - they also, - unto Bethel, - and, Yahweh, was with them.
Then said they - Lo! the festival of Yahweh in Shiloh, from year to year, Which Shiloh is on the north of Bethel, towards sunrise, by the highway that goeth up from Bethel, towards Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
to them who were in Bethel, and to them who were in Ramoth of the South, and to them who were in Jattir,
And he set the one in Bethel, - and, the other, put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin, - and the people went before the one, as far as Dan. read more. And he made a house of high-places, - and made priests from the whole compass of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam made a festival in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival which was held in Judah, and offered up on the altar, likewise, did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made, - and he kept in attendance in Bethel, the priests of the high-places which he had made. And he offered up on the altar which he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month which he had devised out of his own heart, - thus made he a festival for the sons of Israel, and offered up on the altar, to make a perfume.
And lo! a man of God, came in out of Judah, by the word of Yahweh, unto Bethel, - as Jeroboam was standing by the altar, to make a perfume. And he made proclamation against the altar, by the word of Yahweh, and said, O altar! altar! Thus, saith Yahweh, - Lo! a son to be born unto the house of David, Josiah his name, who shall sacrifice upon thee the priests of the high-places, who are making a perfume upon thee, and, human bones, shall be burned upon thee; read more. and he shall give, on that day, a sign, saying, This, is the sign of which Yahweh hath spoken, - Lo! the altar, is to be rent, and the ashes that are upon thee shall be, poured out! And it came to pass, when the king heard the word of the man of God which he proclaimed against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam thrust forth his hand, from off the altar, saying - Lay hold of him! and his hand which he had thrust forth against him was dried up, that he could not draw it back to him. Moreover, the altar, was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, - according to the sign which the man of God had given, by the word of Yahweh. Then responded the king and said unto the man of God - Appease, I pray thee, the face of Yahweh thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored unto me. So the man of God appeased the face of Yahweh, and the hand of the king was restored unto him, and became as aforetime. Then spake the king unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, - and let me give thee a present. But the man of God said unto the king - If thou wouldst give me the half of thy house, I would not go in with thee, - neither would I eat bread or drink water, in this place; for, so, he charged me, by the word of Yahweh, saying, Thou shalt not eat bread, nor shalt thou drink water, - neither shalt thou come back by the way thou wentest. So he departed another way, - and went not back by the way by which he came unto Bethel. But, a certain aged prophet, was dwelling in Bethel, - whose sons came in and related to him all the deeds which the man of God had done that day in Bethel - and the words which he had spoken unto the king, and they related them to their father. And their father said unto them, Which way then went he? Now his sons had seen the way which the man of God went who had come in out of Judah. So he said unto his sons, Saddle for me, the ass. And they saddled for him the ass, and he rode thereon; and went after the man of God, and found him, sitting under an oak. And he said unto him - Art, thou, the man of God who came in out of Judah? And he said - I am. Then said he unto him, Come home with me, - and eat bread. And he said - I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee, - neither will I eat bread or drink water with thee, in this place; for there came a message unto me by the word of Yahweh, Thou shalt neither eat bread, nor drink water there, - thou shalt not turn back to come by the way by which thou wentest. And he said to him-I also, am a prophet, like unto thee, and, a messenger, hath spoken unto me, by the word of Yahweh, saying - Bring him back with thee, into thy house, that he may eat bread, and drink water. He deceived him. So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. And so it was, as, they, were sitting at the table, yea, so it was, that the word of Yahweh came unto the prophet who had brought him back; and he cried out unto the man of God who had come in out of Judah, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh, - Forasmuch as thou hast rebelled against the bidding of Yahweh, and hast not kept the commandment which Yahweh thy God commanded thee; but hast returned, and eaten bread and drunk water, in the place of which he said unto thee, Thou mayest neither eat bread nor drink water: thy dead body shall not enter the burying-place of thy fathers. And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And, when he had gone, there met him a lion by the way, and slew him, - and his dead body was cast out in the way, and, the ass, was standing near it, and, the lion, was standing near the dead body. And lo! certain men, passing by, saw the dead body, cast out in the way, and the lion standing near the dead body, - so they came in, and spake of it in the city, wherein, the aged prophet, dwelt. And, when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said - The man of God, it is, who rebelled against the bidding of Yahweh, - therefore did Yahweh deliver him unto the lion, and it hath torn him and slain him, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake unto him. And he spake unto his sons, saying, Saddle for me the ass. And they saddled it. So he went and found his dead body, cast out in the way, with, the ass and the lion, standing near the dead body, - the lion had neither eaten the dead body, nor had it torn the ass. And the prophet took up the dead body of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back, - and the aged prophet came into the city, to make lamentation, and to bury him. And he laid his dead body in his own grave, - and they lamented over him, saying - Alas, my brother! And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake unto his sons, saying, When I die, then shall ye bury me in the grave wherein the man of God is buried; beside his bones, lay my bones; For the message which he proclaimed, by the ward of Yahweh, against the altar which is in Bethel, - and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord, from thy head? And he said - I also, know, be silent.
Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the entrance-hall, to bring forth, out of the temple of Yahweh, all the vessels that had been made for Baal and for the Sacred Stem, and for all the army of the heavens, - and he burned them up outside Jerusalem, in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel;
moreover also, the altar that was in Bethel, the high place which Jeroboam son of Nebat made, wherewith he caused, Israel, to sin, - even that altar, and the high place, brake he down, - and burned the high place, crushing it to powder, and burned a Sacred Stem.
Then said he - What is yonder erection, which I do see? And the men of the city said unto him - The grave of the man of God, who came in out of Judah, and proclaimed these things, which thou hast done, concerning the altar of Bethel.
Moreover also, all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger, did Josiah remove, - and he did to them according to all the doings which he had done in Bethel;
The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;
And, the sons of Benjamin, dwelt from Geba, to Michmas and Aija, and Bethel, and the hamlets thereof:
Even so, hath Bethel, done to you, because of your exceeding wickedness, - in the dawn, shall the king of Israel be, utterly silenced.
Yea he strove against a Messenger, and prevailed, he wept, and made supplication unto him, - At Bethel, he found him, and, there, he spake with us;
That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground;
Enter ye Bethel, and transgress, At Gilgal, cause transgression, to abound, - Yea, carry in, every morning, your sacrifices, every three days, your tithes;
Then do not seek Bethel, and, Gilgal, shall ye not enter, and, unto Beer-sheba, shall ye not cross over, For, Gilgal, shall, surely go into exile, and, Bethel, shall become a trouble.
Then do not seek Bethel, and, Gilgal, shall ye not enter, and, unto Beer-sheba, shall ye not cross over, For, Gilgal, shall, surely go into exile, and, Bethel, shall become a trouble. Seek ye Yahweh, and live, - lest he break forth, like a fire, upon the house of Joseph, and it devour with none to quench it, for Bethel.
Then sent Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, unto Jeroboam king of Israel, saying: A conspiracy hath Amos, raised against thee, in the midst of the house of Israel, The land, is not able to endure, all his words;
But, at Bethel, not again, any more, mayest thou prophesy, - for, the holy place of the king, it is, and, the house of the kingdom, it is.
Smith
Beth'el
(the house of God) well known city and holy place of central Palestine, about 12 mlles north of Jerusalem. If we are to accept the precise definition of
the name of Bethel would appear to have existed at this spot even before the arrival of Abram in Canaan.
Bethel was the scene of Jacob's vision.
Jacob lived there.
The original name was Luz.
After the conquest Bethel is frequently heard of. In the troubled times when there was no king in Israel, it was to Bethel that the people went up in their distress to ask counsel of God.
Authorized Version, "house of God." Here was the ark of the covenant.
Later it is named as one of the holy cities to which Samuel went on circuit.
Here Jeroboab placed one of the two calves of gold. Toward the end of Jeroboam's life Bethel fell into the hands of Judah.
Elijah visited Bethel, and we hear of "sons of the prophets" as resident there.
But after the destruction of Baal worship by Jehu Bethel comes once more into view.
After the desolation of the northern kingdom by the king of Assyria, Bethel still remained an abode of priests.
In later times Bethel is named only once under the scarcely-altered name of Beitin. Its ruins still lie on the righthand side of the road from Jerusalem to Nablus.
2. A town in the south part of Judah, named in
and 1Sam 30:27 In
the place appears under the name of CHESIL, BETHUL and BETHUEL. Hiel the Bethelite is recorded as the rebuilder of Jericho.
See Chesil
See Bethul
See Bethuel
3. In
and 1Sam 13:2 Mount Bethel, a hilly section near Beth-el, is referred to.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
And he went his way, by his removals, from the South even as far as to Bethel, - as far as the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai: unto the place of the altar, which he made there at first, - and Abram called there, on the name of Yahweh.
And he lighted on a place, and tarried the night there, because the sun had gone in, - and he took of the stones of the place, and put for his pillow, and lay down in that place, And he dreamed, and lo! a stairway, planted earthwards, with, its top, reaching towards the heavens, - and lo! messengers of God, ascending and descending thereon; read more. and lo! Yahweh, standing by him, - and he said, I, am Yahweh, God of Abraham thy father and God of Isaac, - The land whereon, thou, art lying, to thee, will I give it and to thy seed; And thy seed shall become as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt break forth westward and eastward, and northward and southward, - And all the families of the ground shall be blessed in thee and in thy seed. Lo! then, I, am with thee, so will I keep thee in every place whithersoever thou mayest go, and will bring thee back unto this soil, - For I will not forsake thee until I have done that of which I have spoken to thee. And Jacob awoke from his sleep, and said. Surely, Yahweh was in this place, And I, knew it not. And he feared and said, How fearful is this place! None other this, than the house of God! Nor this than the gate of the heavens So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone which he halt lint for his pillow, and put it for a pillar, - and poured out oil upon the top thereof; and called the name of that place - Beth-el, - nevertheless, Luz, was the name of the city, aforetime.
I, am the GOD of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow to me a vow, - Now, rise, go forth out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
Then said God unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, - and make there an altar, to the GOD who appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. And Jacob said unto his house, and unto all who were with him, - Put away the gods of the alien which are in your midst, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; read more. And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el, - that I may make there an altar to the GOD who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way that I went. So they gave unto Jacob all the gods of the alien which were in their hand, and the earrings which were in their ears, - and Jacob hid them under the oak, which was by Shechem. And they brake up, - and it came to pass that the terror of God, was on the cities which were round about them, so that they pursued not after the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came in towards Luz, which was in the land of Canaan, the same, is Beth-el, - he and all the people who were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el, - because, there, God revealed himself unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother, And Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and was buried below Beth-el, under the oak, - so the name thereof was called, Allon-bacuth.
Then came out the lot, for the sons of Joseph, from the Jordan by Jericho, at the waters of Jericho, eastward, - the desert, going up from Jericho, through the hill country to Bethel;
Then went up the house of Joseph - they also, - unto Bethel, - and, Yahweh, was with them. And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel, - now, the name of the city, formerly, was, Luz.
And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh said - Judah, first.
Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, - and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.
Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, - and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh. And the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, - there, being the ark of the covenant of God, in those days; read more. and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh said - Go up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.
And the sons of Benjamin came forth against the people, they were drawn away from the city, - and began to smite of the people, slaying as time after time, in the highways, whereof, one, goeth up to Bethel, and, the other, to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men in Israel.
So then the people came to Bethel, and abode there, until the evening, before God, - and lifted up their voice, and wept bitterly,
And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there, an altar, - and offered ascending-sacrifices, and peace-offerings.
And he used to take his journey, from year to year, and go round to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, - and used to judge Israel, at all these places.
Saul chose him three thousand men out of Israel, of whom there were with Saul, two thousand in Michmash and in the hill-country of Bethel, and, a thousand, were with Jonathan, in Gibeah of Benjamin, - but, the rest of the people, he let go, every man to his own home.
to them who were in Bethel, and to them who were in Ramoth of the South, and to them who were in Jattir,
In his days, did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, - At the price of Abiram his firstborn, he laid its foundation, and, at the price of Segub his youngest, he set up its doors, according to the word of Yahweh which he spake through Joshua son of Nun.
Then said Elijah unto Elisha - Tarry here, I pray thee, for, Yahweh, hath sent me as far as Bethel. And Elisha said, By the life of Yahweh and by the life of thine own soul, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came forth unto Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that, to-day, Yahweh is taking away thy lord, from thy head? And he said - I also, know, be silent.
Nevertheless, as for the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused, Israel, to commit, Jehu turned not away from following them, - the calves of gold, one being in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
So the king of Assyria commanded, saying - Carry thither, one of the priests, whom ye brought away captive from thence, that they may go, and dwell there, - and teach them the custom of the God of the land. Then came one of the priests whom they had carried away captive from Samaria, and dwelt in Bethel, - and he began teaching them how they should do reverence unto Yahweh.
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and captured from him, cities, even Bethel, with the villages thereof, and Jeshanah, with the villages thereof, - and Ephron, with the villages thereof;
Watsons
BETHEL, a city which lay to the west of Ai, about eight miles to the north of Jerusalem, in the confines of the tribe of Ephraim and Benjamin. Here Jacob slept and had his vision. The name of this city had formerly been Luz, which signifies an almond, and was probably so called from the number of almond trees which grew in those parts. See JACOB.