The term "Bethelite" refers to an inhabitant or native of Bethel, an ancient city of significant biblical importance. Bethel, meaning "House of God," is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 12:8, where Abram (later Abraham) pitches his tent and builds an altar to the Lord. The city is located in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Jerusalem.

Historical and Biblical Significance:

1. Jacob's Vision: Bethel is most famously associated with Jacob's dream of a ladder reaching to heaven, as recorded in Genesis 28:10-19. In this vision, God reaffirms the covenant He made with Abraham and Isaac, promising Jacob that his descendants will inherit the land. Jacob names the place Bethel, recognizing it as the "House of God."

· Genesis 28:19 : "He called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz."

2. Center of Worship: Bethel became a significant center of worship in Israel. After the division of the united monarchy, Jeroboam I, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, established one of two golden calves in Bethel to prevent his subjects from traveling to Jerusalem for worship (1 Kings 12:28-29). This act led to Bethel becoming a center of idolatry, which was condemned by the prophets.

3. Prophetic Activity: Bethel is frequently mentioned in the prophetic literature as a place of judgment due to its association with idolatry. The prophet Amos, for example, denounces the religious practices at Bethel, warning of impending judgment (Amos 3:14, 4:4, 5:5-6).

· Amos 5:5 : "Do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing."

4. Elisha and the Bethelites: In 2 Kings 2:23-25, the prophet Elisha encounters a group of youths from Bethel who mock him. Elisha curses them in the name of the Lord, and two bears come out of the forest and maul forty-two of the youths. This incident underscores the spiritual decline and disrespect for God's prophets among the Bethelites.

5. Restoration and Return: Despite its history of idolatry, Bethel is included in the list of places where the exiles returned after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 2:28, Nehemiah 7:32). This indicates a restoration of the community and a return to the worship of Yahweh.

Cultural and Theological Implications:

The Bethelites, as residents of a city with a complex spiritual history, represent both the potential for divine encounter and the danger of spiritual apostasy. Bethel's dual legacy as a place of God's revelation and a center of idolatry serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God's covenant. The narratives involving Bethel and its inhabitants highlight themes of divine promise, human failure, and the hope of redemption.A designation of Hiel (q.v.), who rebuilt Jericho and experienced the curse pronounced long before (1 Kings 16:34). BETHELITE

beth'-el-it: The term applied to a man who in the days of Ahab rebuilt Jericho (1 Kings 16:34).

See HIEL.

1017. Beth Haeli -- an inhabitant of Bethel
... an inhabitant of Bethel. Transliteration: Beth Haeli Phonetic Spelling: (bayth
haw-el-ee') Short Definition: Bethelite. ... of Bethel NASB Word Usage Bethelite (1). ...
/hebrew/1017.htm - 6k

Mongrel Religion
... of the land. This man was a Bethelite, one who worshipped God under the
symbol of an ox, which the Scripture calls a calf. He was ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/mongrel religion.htm

The Healing of the Waters
... Hiel the Bethelite "laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born, and set
up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the world of the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 18 the healing of.htm

The Life of Mr. Alexander Henderson.
... of this assembly he said, "We have now cast down the walls of Jericho (meaning prelacy)
let him that buildeth them beware of the curse of Hiel the Bethelite, &c ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr alexander.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Bethelite (1 Occurrence)
...BETHELITE. beth'-el-it: The term applied to a man who in the days of Ahab rebuilt
Jericho (1 Kings 16:34). ... Multi-Version Concordance Bethelite (1 Occurrence). ...
/b/bethelite.htm - 7k

Abiram (9 Occurrences)
... (2.) The eldest son of Hiel the Bethelite, who perished prematurely in consequence
of his father's undertaking to rebuild Jericho (1 Kings 16:34), according to ...
/a/abiram.htm - 12k

Segub (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Elevated. (1.) The youngest son of Hiel the Bethelite.
His death is recorded in 1 Kings 16:34 (Comp. Joshua 6:26). ...
/s/segub.htm - 11k

Jericho (59 Occurrences)
... of David (2 Samuel 10:5). "Children of Jericho" were among the captives who returned
under Zerubbabel Ezra 2:34; Nehemiah 7:36qv) the Bethelite attempted to ...
/j/jericho.htm - 38k

Hiel (1 Occurrence)
... HIEL. hi'-el (chi'el; Achiel): A Bethelite who according to 1 Kings 16:34 rebuilt
Jericho, and in fulfillment of a curse pronounced by Joshua (Joshua 6:26 ...
/h/hiel.htm - 9k

Luz (7 Occurrences)
... The memory of the ancient nomenclature persisting among the people sufficiently
explains the allusions in the passages cited. (2) A Bethelite, the man who ...
/l/luz.htm - 11k

Foundations (49 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho; with Abiram his
first-born he laid the foundation thereof, and with his youngest son Segub he ...
/f/foundations.htm - 21k

Rebuilt (47 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid its foundation
with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the ...
/r/rebuilt.htm - 20k

Bethelem (1 Occurrence)

/b/bethelem.htm - 6k

Beth-elite (1 Occurrence)
Beth-elite. Bethelite, Beth-elite. Beth-el-luz . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(ASV WBS YLT). Bethelite, Beth-elite. Beth-el-luz . Reference Bible.
/b/beth-elite.htm - 6k

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