Lexical Definition

‎בֵּית־אֵל‎ Bêyth-ʼÊl (bayth-ale') Bethel ^N:N--L
from ‎בַּיִת‎ and ‎אֵל‎; house of God

Beth-el.

• § Bethel = "house of God"
• Beth-El, a place in Palestine

1) ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name)
2) a place in south country of Judah, not far from Beersheba and Ziklag

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎ֵ˜בּיתְאֵל‎₇₁ proper name, of a location Bethel (so read, not ‎בֵּיתאֵֿל‎ as Josh 7:2 + according to see d. H; compare Baer Gen 12:8 house of God, or house of El) —

1. ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identification with Luz (former name) Gen 28:19; Gen 35:6; Josh 18:13; Judg 1:23 apparently distinguished from Luz Josh 16:2 (yet compare Di); name connected with vision of Jacob when journeying to Paddan-Aram (JE) Gen 28:19; Gen 35:7 (where ‎אֵל‎ ‎ֵ˜בּיתְאֵל‎, but ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Ol strike out ‎אֵל‎; Di maintains); compare Hos 12:5* when journeying from P.-A. Hos 35:15 (P); name apparently given first to a stone (Gen 28:18; Gen 35:14) compare We^{Skizzen iii. 70}; ‎הַר ֵ˜בּיתְאֵל‎ 1Sam 13:2 later important place of worship 1Sam 10:3 ‎עָלָה אֶלֿ‎ ‎הָאֱלֹהִים בֵּיתְאֵל‎; abode of prophet 1Kgs 13:11; 2Kgs 2:3 Jeroboam set up one of the golden calves at Bethel 1Kgs 12:29f. compare also 1Kgs 13:1f; 2Kgs 10:29; 2Kgs 23:15; Jer 48:13 see further 2Kgs 17:28; 2Kgs 23:15 Th proposes on internal grounds, ‎בֵּית אַל‎ house of nothingness, or ‎אָלָה‎ ‎׳‎‎בּ‎ house of execration; ‎אָלָה‎ ‎׳‎‎בּ‎ also Ren^{Hist. iii. 185}; in prophets Amos 3:14; Amos 4:4; Amos 5:5 (twice in verse); Amos 5:6; Amos 7:10; Amos 7:13; Hos 10:15 note especially Amos 5:5 ‎ביתאל יִהְיֶה לְאָ֑וֶן‎, & ‎בֵּית אָוֶן‎ (house of iniquity) as substitute for ‎ביתאל‎ Hos 4:15; Hos 5:8; Hos 10:5 (‎עֶגְלוֺת בית און‎); — modern Beitîn Rob^{BR i. 448 f.} Guérin^{Judée iii. 14-27} compare Bd^{Pal 215} Survey^{ii. 305.}

2. place in south country of Judah, not far from Beersheba & Ziklag 1Sam 30:27 compare We Dr; = ᵑ0 ‎כסיל‎ Josh 15:30 (text error; ᵐ5 Βαιθηλ); also ‎בְּתוּל‎ Josh 19:4, ‎בְּתוּאֵל‎ 1Chr 4:30.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References