Reference: Bethshemesh
Fausets
("house of the sun".)
1. A town on the N. boundary of Judah (Jos 15:10), itself low in situation. A "valley" of wheat fields is mentioned accordingly as nigh (1Sa 6:13). Now Ain Shems, on the N.W. slopes of the mountains of Judah, "a low plateau at the junction of two fine plains" (Robinson), two miles from the Philistian plain, and seven from Ekron. From the latter was the road to Bethshemesh, on which the Philistines sent back the ark to Israel after its fatal stay among them. In the field of Joshua the Bethshemite was "the great Abel" (the Septuagint reads Aben "stone"; others retaining Abel explain it "the stone of mourning," compare 1Sa 6:19) whereon the ark was set (1Sa 6:18). Providence fitly arranged that Bethshemesh being a priests' city (Jos 21:16; 1Ch 1:54) had Levites and priests ready on the spot duly to receive the ark and sacrifice before it.
Curiosity tempted many to stare at (not necessarily "into") the ark beneath the cover; compare Nu 4:20; 2Sa 6:6-7. So God smote in the proportion of 50 out of the 1,000, i.e. one twentieth instead of one tenth of the population, as sometimes; seventy men in all, out of the population of Bethshemesh, which amounted to 1,400 in this view. The numbers in the English Bible are evidently a mistake (1Sa 6:19). Josephus (Ant. 6:4) makes it only 70. It was one of Solomon's commissariat districts under Bendekar (margin 1Ki 4:9). Here Joash king of Israel encountered and made prisoner of Amaziah of Judah (2Ki 14:11-13; 2Ch 25:21-23). In Ahaz' reign the Philistines occupied Bethshemesh (2Ch 28:18.) Ir-shemesh was the older name (compare Jos 15:10; 19:41,43; 1Ki 4:9). Harcheres, "mount of the Sun." was another name for Bethshemesh (Jg 1:35.)
2. A city on Issachar's border (Jos 19:22).
3. A fenced city of Naphtali (Jos 19:38; Jg 1:33). The inhabitants were not expelled, but became Israel's tributaries.
4. An idol sanctuary in Egypt (Jer 43:13), the Greek Heliopolis, Egyptian On, E. of the Nile, a few miles N. of Memphis (Ge 41:45). The statue in honor of the sun rose to 60 cubits, the base was 10, above there was a miter a thousand pounds weight. These many towns of this name show how widespread the worship of the sun had been.
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And Pharaoh called the name of Joseph Zaphenath-paneah and gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as a wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh called the name of Joseph Zaphenath-paneah and gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as a wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
and the border goes around from Baalah to the west, to Mount Seir, and passes on to the slope of Mount Jearim from the north (that [is], Kesalon), and goes down [to] Beth Shemesh, and passes [along by] Timnah.
and the border goes around from Baalah to the west, to Mount Seir, and passes on to the slope of Mount Jearim from the north (that [is], Kesalon), and goes down [to] Beth Shemesh, and passes [along by] Timnah.
and the border goes around from Baalah to the west, to Mount Seir, and passes on to the slope of Mount Jearim from the north (that [is], Kesalon), and goes down [to] Beth Shemesh, and passes [along by] Timnah.
and the border goes around from Baalah to the west, to Mount Seir, and passes on to the slope of Mount Jearim from the north (that [is], Kesalon), and goes down [to] Beth Shemesh, and passes [along by] Timnah.
and the border touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. {Its border ends} at the Jordan; sixteen cities and their villages.
and the border touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. {Its border ends} at the Jordan; sixteen cities and their villages.
Yiron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth-anath, Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities and their villages.
Yiron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth-anath, Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities and their villages.
Ain and its pasturelands, Juttah and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands; nine cities from these two tribes.
Ain and its pasturelands, Juttah and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands; nine cities from these two tribes.
Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or Beth-anath, but lived in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.
Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or Beth-anath, but lived in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.
the Amorites [were] determined to live in Har-heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph was heavy [on them], and they became [subjected] to forced labor.
the Amorites [were] determined to live in Har-heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph was heavy [on them], and they became [subjected] to forced labor.
Now [the people of] Beth Shemesh [were] reaping the wheat harvest in the valley. They lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and they were glad to see [it].
Now [the people of] Beth Shemesh [were] reaping the wheat harvest in the valley. They lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and they were glad to see [it].
And the gold mice [according to] the number of all the cities of [the] Philistines, for their five rulers, from [the] fortified city to the unwalled village of the open country as far as the great stone, {where they set} the ark of Yahweh until this day in the field of Joshua [of] Beth Shemesh.
And the gold mice [according to] the number of all the cities of [the] Philistines, for their five rulers, from [the] fortified city to the unwalled village of the open country as far as the great stone, {where they set} the ark of Yahweh until this day in the field of Joshua [of] Beth Shemesh. He struck seventy men among the men of Beth Shemesh because they looked into the ark of Yahweh. So the people mourned because Yahweh had struck a great blow among the people.
He struck seventy men among the men of Beth Shemesh because they looked into the ark of Yahweh. So the people mourned because Yahweh had struck a great blow among the people.
He struck seventy men among the men of Beth Shemesh because they looked into the ark of Yahweh. So the people mourned because Yahweh had struck a great blow among the people.
He struck seventy men among the men of Beth Shemesh because they looked into the ark of Yahweh. So the people mourned because Yahweh had struck a great blow among the people.
But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel went up and they met face-to-face, he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-Shemesh which belongs to Judah.
But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel went up and they met face-to-face, he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-Shemesh which belongs to Judah. Judah was defeated before Israel and they fled, each to this tent.
Judah was defeated before Israel and they fled, each to this tent. Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-Shemesh. Then they came [to] Jerusalem, and he broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim up to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits!
Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-Shemesh. Then they came [to] Jerusalem, and he broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim up to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits!
And the Philistines sent raids into the cities of the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah. And they captured Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Socoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. And they settled there.
And the Philistines sent raids into the cities of the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah. And they captured Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Socoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. And they settled there.
And he will break the stone pillars of Heliopolis, which [is] in the land of Egypt. And he will burn the {temples} of the gods of Egypt with fire." '"
And he will break the stone pillars of Heliopolis, which [is] in the land of Egypt. And he will burn the {temples} of the gods of Egypt with fire." '"
Morish
Beth-she'mesh
1. A Levitical town on the north border of Judah, whither the ark was miraculously guided by God when sent back by the Philistines from Ekron, and where the people were smitten for looking into it. Here Amaziah king of Judah was defeated by Jehoash king of Israel. It was afterwards occupied by the Philistines. Jos 15:10; Joshua 21: 16; 1Sa 6:9-20; 1Ki 4:9; 2Ki 14:11,13; 1Ch 6:59; 2Ch 25:21,23; 28:18. Identified with Ain Shems, 31 45' N, 34 59' E.
2. Border town of Issachar, Jos 19:22. Identified by some with Ain esh Shemsiyeh, 32 24' N, 35 31' E.
3. Fenced city of Naphtali. Jos 19:38; Jg 1:33.
4. Idolatrous temple in Egypt. Jer 43:13. Supposed from its signification, 'house of the sun,' to be the same as On, or Heliopolis, associated with sun-worship.
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and the border goes around from Baalah to the west, to Mount Seir, and passes on to the slope of Mount Jearim from the north (that [is], Kesalon), and goes down [to] Beth Shemesh, and passes [along by] Timnah.
and the border touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. {Its border ends} at the Jordan; sixteen cities and their villages.
Yiron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth-anath, Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities and their villages.
Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or Beth-anath, but lived in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.
You must watch; if it goes up by the way of its territory to Beth Shemesh, he has caused this great disaster to [come on] us. But if not, then we will know his hand has not struck us; it [was by] chance [that] this happened to us. So the men did so; they took two milking cows and harnessed them to the utility cart, but they shut up their calves in the stall. read more. Then they put the ark of Yahweh on the utility cart with the container [holding] the gold mice and the images of their tumors. The cows went straight on the way on the road to Beth Shemesh, on the one main road, {lowing as they went}. They did not turn aside to the right or to the left, and the rulers of [the] Philistines [were] walking after them up to the border of Beth Shemesh. Now [the people of] Beth Shemesh [were] reaping the wheat harvest in the valley. They lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and they were glad to see [it]. The utility cart came to the field of Joshua [of] Beth Shemesh and stopped there where there [was] a large stone. They split the wood of the utility cart and sacrificed the cows [as] a burnt offering to Yahweh. Then the Levites took down the ark of Yahweh and the container that was beside it, in which [were] the gold objects, and [they] set them on the large stone. Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings, and they {made} sacrifices to Yahweh on that day. The five rulers of [the] Philistines saw [it] and returned [to] Ekron that [same] day. Now these [are] the gold tumors which [the] Philistines returned [as] a guilt offering to Yahweh: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron. And the gold mice [according to] the number of all the cities of [the] Philistines, for their five rulers, from [the] fortified city to the unwalled village of the open country as far as the great stone, {where they set} the ark of Yahweh until this day in the field of Joshua [of] Beth Shemesh. He struck seventy men among the men of Beth Shemesh because they looked into the ark of Yahweh. So the people mourned because Yahweh had struck a great blow among the people. Then the men of Beth Shemesh asked, "Who [is] able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? And to whom shall it go up from us?"
And he will break the stone pillars of Heliopolis, which [is] in the land of Egypt. And he will burn the {temples} of the gods of Egypt with fire." '"
Smith
Beth-she'mesh
(house of the sun).
1. One of the towns which marked the north boundary of Judah.
It is now 'Ainshems, about two miles from the great Philistine plain, and seven from Ekron.
2. A city on the border of Issachar.
3. One of the "fenced cities" of Naphtali.
4. An idolatrous temple, or place in Egypt.
In the middle ages Heliopolis was still called by the Arabs Ain Shems.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and the border goes around from Baalah to the west, to Mount Seir, and passes on to the slope of Mount Jearim from the north (that [is], Kesalon), and goes down [to] Beth Shemesh, and passes [along by] Timnah.
and the border touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. {Its border ends} at the Jordan; sixteen cities and their villages.
Yiron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth-anath, Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities and their villages.
Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or Beth-anath, but lived in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.
And he will break the stone pillars of Heliopolis, which [is] in the land of Egypt. And he will burn the {temples} of the gods of Egypt with fire." '"
Watsons
BETHSHEMESH, a city of the tribe of Judah, belonging to the priests, Jos 21:16. The Philistines having sent back the ark of the Lord, it was brought to Bethshemesh, 1Sa 6:12, where some of the people out of curiosity having looked into it, the Lord destroyed seventy of the principal men belonging to the city, and fifty thousand of the common people, verse 19. It is here to be observed that it was solemnly enjoined, Nu 4:20, that not only the common people but that even the Levites themselves should not dare to look into the ark, upon pain of death. "It is a fearful thing," says Bishop Hall, "to use the holy ordinances of God with an irreverent boldness; fear and trembling become us in our access to the majesty of the Almighty."
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Ain and its pasturelands, Juttah and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands; nine cities from these two tribes.
The cows went straight on the way on the road to Beth Shemesh, on the one main road, {lowing as they went}. They did not turn aside to the right or to the left, and the rulers of [the] Philistines [were] walking after them up to the border of Beth Shemesh.