Etymology and Meaning:
The name "Bethaven" translates to "house of wickedness" or "house of vanity." It is a term used in the Bible to denote a place associated with idolatry and false worship, contrasting with its original meaning as a "house of nothingness" or "emptiness."

Biblical References:
Bethaven is mentioned in several passages in the Old Testament, primarily in the context of idolatry and apostasy. It is often used as a derogatory term for Bethel after it became a center of idol worship.

1. Joshua 7:2 : "Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Bethaven, to the east of Bethel, and told them, 'Go up and spy out the land.' So the men went up and spied out Ai."
· In this passage, Bethaven is mentioned geographically in relation to Ai and Bethel, indicating its location in the central highlands of Canaan.

2. 1 Samuel 13:5 : "Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Bethaven."
· Here, Bethaven is noted as a landmark in the narrative of Saul's conflict with the Philistines, emphasizing its strategic location.

3. Hosea 4:15 : "Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal; do not go up to Bethaven, and do not swear on oath, 'As surely as the LORD lives!'"
· The prophet Hosea uses Bethaven as a symbol of Israel's unfaithfulness, warning against the idolatrous practices associated with the site.

4. Hosea 10:5 : "The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Bethaven. Indeed, its people will mourn for it, and its idolatrous priests will cry out over it—over its glory, because it has departed from them."
· This verse highlights the idolatry at Bethaven, specifically the worship of the golden calf, which was a significant sin in Israel's history.

Historical and Theological Significance:
Bethaven's significance lies in its symbolic representation of Israel's spiritual decline. Originally, Bethel was a place of worship to the true God, as seen in the patriarch Jacob's encounter with God (Genesis 28:19). However, under the reign of Jeroboam I, Bethel became a center for idol worship, leading prophets like Hosea to refer to it as Bethaven, emphasizing the spiritual corruption that had taken place.

Theologically, Bethaven serves as a warning against the dangers of idolatry and the consequences of turning away from God. It illustrates the theme of spiritual adultery, where Israel's covenant relationship with God is compromised by the worship of false gods. This apostasy ultimately leads to judgment and exile, as foretold by the prophets.

Geographical Context:
Bethaven is located near Bethel, east of the modern-day West Bank. Its exact location is not definitively known, but it is generally associated with the region around Bethel, which was a significant religious and political center in ancient Israel.

Cultural and Religious Context:
In the cultural and religious context of ancient Israel, Bethaven represents the tension between true worship and idolatry. The use of the name Bethaven instead of Bethel in prophetic literature underscores the seriousness of Israel's departure from their covenantal obligations. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God and the dangers of syncretism, where the worship of Yahweh is mixed with pagan practices.

Bethaven's legacy in the biblical narrative is a testament to the enduring call for repentance and the return to genuine worship of the one true God.Bethaven

(house of nothingness , i.e. of idols), a place on the mountains of Benjamin, east of Bethel, (Joshua 7:2; 18:12) and lying between that place and Michmash. (1 Samuel 13:5; 14:28) In (Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 10:5) the name is transferred to the neighboring Bethel, --once the "house of God" but then the house of idols of "naught."

House of nothingness; i.e., "of idols", a place in the mountains of Benjamin, east of Bethel (Joshua 7:2; 18:12; 1 Samuel 13:5). In Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 10:5 it stands for "Bethel" (q.v.), and it is so called because it was no longer the "house of God," but "the house of idols," referring to the calves there worshipped. BETH-AVEN

beth-a'-ven (beth 'awen; Baithon, Baithaun): A place on the northern boundary of the territory of Benjamin (Joshua 18:12) East of Bethel, near Ai (Joshua 7:2), West of Michmash (1 Samuel 13:5; 1 Samuel 14:23). Beth-aven, "house of vanity," i.e. "idolatry," may possibly represent an original beth-'on, "house of wealth." Wilson (PEFS, 1869, 126) suggests Khirbet An, West of Michmash. The name is used in mockery for Bethel by Hosea (4:15; 10:5, 8, etc.; compare Amos 5:5).

"If So be that the Spirit of God Dwell in You. Now if any Man have ...
... All unclean affections, all beastly lusts, all earthly desires, all vain cogitations
get lodging in this house; the Bethel is become a Bethaven, the house of ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxiv if so be.htm

Whether There Can be any Suitable Cause for the Sacraments of the ...
... and this was, perhaps, because they worshipped heifers after the custom of Egypt,
according to Osee 10:5: "(They) have worshipped the kine of Bethaven." And in ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether there can be any 2.htm

The Death and the Raising of Lazarus - the Question of Miracles ...
... Most modern writers identify it with the Ephraim, or Ephron, of 2 Chronicles
13:19, in the neighbourhood of Bethel, and near the wilderness of Bethaven. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxi the death and.htm

Bethaven (6 Occurrences)
... The name is used in mockery for Bethel by Hosea (4:15; 10:5, 8, etc.; compare
Amos 5:5). Multi-Version Concordance Bethaven (6 Occurrences). ...
/b/bethaven.htm - 9k

Beth-aven (6 Occurrences)
Beth-aven. Bethaven, Beth-aven. Beth-a'ven . Easton's Bible Dictionary ... (ASV
BBE DBY JPS WBS YLT NAS). Bethaven, Beth-aven. Beth-a'ven . Reference Bible
/b/beth-aven.htm - 9k

Viewed (9 Occurrences)
... Joshua 7:2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on
the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. ...
/v/viewed.htm - 9k

Bethasmoth

/b/bethasmoth.htm - 6k

Benjamin (167 Occurrences)
... The northern frontier started from the Jordan over against Jericho, and ran to the
north of that town up through the mountain westward past Bethaven, taking in ...
/b/benjamin.htm - 50k

Saul (371 Occurrences)
... increased to 10,000, perceiving the confusion, pursued the army of the Philistines,
and the tide of battle rolled on as far as to Bethaven, halfway between ...
/s/saul.htm - 76k

Goings (42 Occurrences)
... went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains
westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven. ...
/g/goings.htm - 22k

Mountains (221 Occurrences)
... went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains
westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven. ...
/m/mountains.htm - 37k

Pitched (101 Occurrences)
... and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in
multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven. ...
/p/pitched.htm - 33k

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