Lexical Summary Berothah: Berothah Original Word: בֵּרוֹתָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Berothah, Berothai Or Berothay {bay-ro-that'-ee}; probably from browth; cypress or cypresslike; Berothah or Berothai, a place north of Palestine -- Berothah, Berothai. see HEBREW browth NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a place near Hamath NASB Translation Berothah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֵּרוֺ֫תָה proper name, of a location near Hamath Ezekiel 47:16 (contracted from בְּאֵרוֺתָה ?), compare following; — hardly = Berytus (Beirût) with which form of name might agree see Steph. Byzant. and others in MoversPhen. ii. 1. 110 n.; perhaps Bereit¹n near Baalbek, see FurrerZPV viii. 34. בֵּרֹתַי proper name, of a location belonging to Hadadezer of Zoba 2 Samuel 8:8; perhaps = foregoing. Topical Lexicon Name and Geographic Setting Berothah (also appearing in the text as Berothai) lay in the northern reaches of ancient Aram, on the strategic corridor that links Hamath to Damascus. The town is commonly identified with modern Bereitân, situated near the Barada (Abana) River, a locale that controls access from the Syrian interior to the Phoenician coast. Its position placed it on key caravan routes, making it a prize for competing kingdoms and later a landmark in prophetic boundary-lists. Berothah in David’s Conquests 2 Samuel 8:8 records: “From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze”. Berothah was part of the Aramean coalition ruled by Hadadezer of Zobah. David’s capture of the city: Berothah in Ezekiel’s Vision Ezekiel 47:16 lists Berothah among the northern border points of the ideal future land: “Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), Hazer Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran”. In the prophet’s geography: Intertextual Connections – 2 Samuel 8:8 // 1 Chronicles 18:8: The same campaign, two name sets (Berothai:: Cun), underscoring textual preservation from different archival sources. – Ezekiel 47 resonates with Numbers 34 and Joshua 13, revealing continuity in the biblical theme of God-defined borders. – The bronze taken at Berothah ultimately serves in the Temple (1 Kings 7:13-47), weaving the city into the worship life of Israel for generations. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty over Nations: David’s victory over Hadadezer fulfills earlier assurances that the Lord would “subdue all your enemies” (2 Samuel 7:9). Archaeology and Historical Notes – Tell Bereitân, near the narrow pass of the Barada Gorge, has yielded Iron Age pottery consistent with Aramean occupation. – The site’s proximity to copper and tin trade routes explains the large quantities of bronze mentioned in Scripture. – Egyptian topographical lists from the Late Bronze Age may reference the locale under the name “Birti,” supporting its long-standing regional significance. Lessons for Ministry Today • Victories belong to the Lord; believers steward the spoils for worship and service. Key References 2 Samuel 8:8; 1 Chronicles 18:8; Ezekiel 47:16; Genesis 15:18; Proverbs 13:22; 1 Kings 7:13-47 Forms and Transliterations בֵּר֙וֹתָה֙ ברותה וּמִבֵּֽרֹתַ֖י ומברתי bê·rō·w·ṯāh beRotah bêrōwṯāh ū·mib·bê·rō·ṯay umibberoTai ūmibbêrōṯayLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 8:8 HEB: וּמִבֶּ֥טַח וּמִבֵּֽרֹתַ֖י עָרֵ֣י הֲדַדְעָ֑זֶר KJV: And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities INT: Betah Berothai cities of Hadadezer Ezekiel 47:16 2 Occurrences |
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