- BETHELITE a designation of Hiel (q.v.), who rebuilt Jericho and
experienced the curse pronounced long before (1 Kings 16:34). - BETHER dissection or separation, certain mountains mentioned in Cant.
2:17; probably near Lebanon. - BETHESDA house of mercy, a reservoir (Gr. kolumbethra, “a swimming
bath”) with five porches, close to the sheep-gate or market (Nehemiah 3:1;
John 5:2). Eusebius the historian (A.D. 330) calls it “the sheep-pool.” It is
also called “Bethsaida” and “Beth-zatha” (John 5:2, R.V. marg.). Under
these “porches” or colonnades were usually a large number of infirm
people waiting for the “troubling of the water.” It is usually identified with
the modern so-called Fountain of the Virgin, in the valley of the Kidron,
and not far from the Pool of Siloam (q.v.); and also with the Birket Israel, a
pool near the mouth of the valley which runs into the Kidron south of “St.
Stephen’s Gate.” Others again identify it with the twin pools called the
“Souterrains,” under the convent of the Sisters of Zion, situated in what
must have been the rock-hewn ditch between Bezetha and the fortress of
Antonia. But quite recently Schick has discovered a large tank, as sketched
here, situated about 100 feet north-west of St. Anne’s Church, which is, as
he contends, very probably the Pool of Bethesda. No certainty as to its
identification, however, has as yet been arrived at. (See FOUNTAIN;
GIHON.) - BETH-GAMUL camel-house, a city in the “plain country” of Moab
denounced by the prophet (Jeremiah 48:23); probably the modern
Um-el-Jemal, near Bozrah, one of the deserted cities of the Hauran. - BETH-GILGAL house of Gilgal, a place from which the inhabitants
gathered for the purpose of celebrating the rebuilding of the walls on the
return exile (Nehemiah 12:29). (See GILGAL.) - BETH-HACCEREM house of a vineyard, a place in the tribe of Judah
(Nehemiah 3:14) where the Benjamites were to set up a beacon when they
heard the trumpet against the invading army of the Babylonians (Jeremiah
6:1). It is probable that this place is the modern ‘Ain Karim, or “well of
the vineyards,” near which there is a ridge on which are cairns which may
have served as beacons of old, one of which is 40 feet high and 130 in
diameter.
kiana
(Kiana)
#1