Lexical Definition
בֵּית צוּר Bêyth Tsûwr (bayth tsoor') Beth-zur N:N--L
from בַּיִת and צוּר; house of (the) rock
Beth-zur.
- § Beth-zur = "house of the rock"
- Beth-Tsur, a place in Palestine
n pr loc
1) a place in Judah
n pr m
2) the son of Maon
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| צֽוּר | Zur | 1Chr.2.45 |
| צ֥וּר | Zur | 2Chr.11.7 |
| צ֖וּר | Zur | Josh.15.58 |
| צ֑וּר | Zur | Neh.3.16 |
| בֵֽית | Beth | 1Chr.2.45 |
| בֵּֽית | Beth | Josh.15.58 • 2Chr.11.7 • Neh.3.16 |
| Βηθσούρ | Beth-zur | LXX.Neh.3.16 |
| of Beth-zur | LXX.1Chr.2.45 | |
| Βεθσούρ | Beth-zur | LXX.Josh.15.58 • LXX.2Chr.11.7 |
Brown-Driver-Briggs
בֵּיתצֿוּר proper name, of a location in Judah (house of rock) Josh 15:58; 2Chr 11:7; Neh 3:16 as proper name, masculine 1Chr 2:45 — modern Beit ‚ûr, approximately 12 miles south from Jerusalem RobBR iii. 276 f. Surveyiii. 311 BdPal 138 (Burj ‚ûr).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Joshua | 15:58 |
| 1 Chronicles | 2:45 |
| 2 Chronicles | 11:7 |
| Nehemiah | 3:16 |
Profile
Beth-zur • Town in Judah, fortified by Rehoboam, repaired by Nehemiah.
Beth-zur was a town in the hill country of Judah, fortified by Rehoboam, later repaired by Nehemiah, and associated with Maon. (Joshua 15:58; 1 Chronicles 2:45; 2 Chronicles 11:7; Nehemiah 3:16)
- A location first mentioned at Jos.15.58;
- only referred to as Beth-zur בֵּית צוּר.
Beth-zur, meaning "house of rock" or "house of the wall" in Hebrew, was a town located in the hill country of Judah, mentioned several times in the Old Testament. It was one of the towns allotted to Judah during the division of the Promised Land (Joshua 15:58).
Beth-zur was associated with Maon, as Maon was the father of Beth-zur (1 Chronicles 2:45). This may suggest that Beth-zur was founded by the descendants of Maon or that it was a satellite settlement of Maon.
During the reign of King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, Beth-zur was one of the cities fortified for the defense of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:7). This fortification was part of Rehoboam's strategy to strengthen his kingdom against potential threats from the northern tribes of Israel and neighboring nations.
Later, in the time of Nehemiah, after the return from the Babylonian exile, Beth-zur was one of the towns whose walls were repaired (Nehemiah 3:16). The mention of Beth-zur in this context suggests that it had been inhabited before the exile and was being restored as part of the rebuilding of Judah.
The exact location of Beth-zur is uncertain, but it was likely situated in the southern part of the hill country of Judah, possibly near the ancient city of Hebron. Its location in the hill country would have made it a strategic point for defense and control of the surrounding area.
No other significant events or people are directly associated with Beth-zur in the Bible.
All entries for Beth-zur: בֵּית צוּר