Lexical Definition
בֵּית בָּרָה Bêyth Bârâh (bayth baw-raw') Beth-barah N:N--L
probably from בַּיִת and עֲבָרָה; house of (the) ford
Beth-barah.
- § Beth-barah = "house of (the) ford"
- Beth-Barah, a place in Palestine
1) a place on the Jordan
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| בָּרָ֖ה | Barah | Judg.7.24 • Judg.7.24 |
| בֵּ֥ית | Beth | Judg.7.24 • Judg.7.24 |
| Βαιθβηρά | Beth-barah | LXX.Judg.7.24 • LXX.Judg.7.24 |
Extended Information
- Beth-barah = "house of (the) ford"
- Also named: Bēthabara (Βηθαβαρά,Βηθανία "Bethany" Βηθαβαρά)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
בֵּית בָּרָה proper name, of a location in combin. ׳בּ ׳עַד בּ וְאֶתהַֿיַּרְדֵּן Judg 7:24 (twice in verse) (? = בֵּית עֲבָרָה place of ford).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Judges | 7:24 |
Profile
Bethany_2 • Place where Gideon stationed men to intercept the Midianites.
Beth-barah (Bethabara) was a place where Gideon stationed men to intercept the fleeing Midianites, and where John the Baptist baptized. (Judges 7:24; John 1:28)
- A location first mentioned at Jdg.7.24;
- referred to as Beth-barah בֵּית בָּרָה, or Bethany (KJV= Bethabara) Βηθαβαρά.
Beth-barah, also known as Bethabara, is mentioned in two different contexts in the Bible. In Judges 7:24, during Gideon's battle against the Midianites, he sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, asking the Ephraimites to intercept the fleeing Midianites at the waters of Beth-barah and the Jordan. The Ephraimites captured and killed the two Midianite princes, Oreb and Zeeb.
In John 1:28, Bethabara is mentioned as the place where John the Baptist was baptizing people. This Bethabara is described as being "beyond the Jordan," indicating that it was on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Some manuscripts mention "Bethany" instead of "Bethabara" in this verse, which has led to some confusion. However, the Bethany mentioned here is not the same as the village near Jerusalem associated with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
The exact location of Beth-barah/Bethabara is uncertain, but it was likely a ford or crossing point along the Jordan River, possibly in the vicinity of the Jabbok River. The name Beth-barah means "house of the crossing" or "house of the ford" in Hebrew, which supports this interpretation.
All entries for Beth-barah, Bethany or Bethabara: בֵּית בָּרָה ☩ Βηθαβαρά