(house of mercy, or the flowing water), the Hebrew name of a reservoir or tank, with five
“porches,” close upon the sheep-gate or “market” in Jerusalem. (John 5:2) The largest reservoir -
Birket Israil - 360 feet long, 120 feet wide and 80 feet deep, within the walls of the city, close by
St. Stephen’s Gate, and under the northeast wall of the Haram area, is generally considered to be
the modern representative of Bethesda. Robinson, however, suggests that the ancient Bethesda is
identical with what is now called the Pool of the Virgin, an intermittent pool, south of Birket Israil
and north of the pool of Siloam.
Bethezel
(neighbor’s house), a place named only in (Micah 1:11) From the context it was doubtless
situated in the plain of Philistia.
Bethgader
(house of the wall), doubtless a place, though it occurs in the genealogies of Judah as if a person.
(1 Chronicles 2:51)
Bethgamul
(camel-house), a town of Moab, in the downs east of Jordan. (Jeremiah 48:23) comp. Jere 48:21
Bethgilgal
Same as Gilgal. (Nehemiah 12:29)
Bethhaccerem
(house of the vine). (Nehemiah 3:14; Jeremiah 6:1) A beacon station near Tekoa, supposed to
be the Frank Mountain, a few miles southeast of Bethlehem.
Bethharan
(Numbers 32:36) It is no doubt the same place as BETH-ARAM. (Joshua 13:27)
Bethhogla
(partridge-house), and Holg’lah a place on the border of Judah, (Joshua 15:6) and of Benjamin.
(Joshua 18:19,21) A magnificent spring and a ruin between Jericho and the Jordan still bear the
names of Ainhajala.
Bethhoron
(house of caverns), the name of two towns or villages, an “upper” and a “nether,” (Joshua
16:3,5; 1 Chronicles 7:24) on the road from Gibeon to Azekah, (Joshua 10:10,11) and the Philistine
plain. 1 Macc. 3:24. Beth-horon lay on the boundary line between Benjamin and Ephraim, (Joshua
16:3,5) and Josh 18:13,14 Was counted to Ephraim, (Joshua 21:22; 1 Chronicles 7:24) and given
to the Kohathites. (Joshua 21:22; 1 Chronicles 6:68) (1Chr 6:53) The two Beth-horons still survive
in the modern villages of Beit-ur, et-tahta and el-foka.
Bethjeshimoth
(house of deserts) or Jes’imoth, a town or place east of Jordan, on the lower level at the south
end of the Jordan valley, (Numbers 33:49) and named with Ashdod-pisgah and Beth-peor. It was
one of the limits of the encampment of Israel before crossing the Jordan. Later it was allotted to
Reuben, (Joshua 12:3; 13:20) but came at last into the hands of Moab, and formed one of the cities
which were “the glory of the country.” (Ezekiel 25:9)
Bethlebaoth
(house of lionesses), a town in the lot of Simeon, (Joshua 19:6) in the extreme south of Judah.
[ (Joshua 15:32) Lebaoth] In (1 Chronicles 4:31) the name is given BETH-BIREI.
Bethlehem
(house of bread).
frankie
(Frankie)
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