Topical Bible: Beth-El: A City North of Jerusalem by Samuel

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Introduction:
Beth-El, meaning "House of God," is a significant city in biblical history, located approximately 12 miles north of Jerusalem. It holds a prominent place in the narratives of the Old Testament, serving as a site of divine encounters, religious significance, and historical events.

Biblical Significance:
Beth-El first appears in the biblical narrative in Genesis, where it is associated with the patriarch Jacob. After fleeing from his brother Esau, Jacob stopped at Beth-El, then known as Luz, and had a dream of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. Upon waking, Jacob declared, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was unaware of it" (Genesis 28:16). He then set up a stone pillar and anointed it with oil, naming the place Beth-El, acknowledging it as the "House of God" (Genesis 28:19).

Historical Context:
Beth-El became an important religious center for the Israelites. During the period of the Judges, it was a site where the Ark of the Covenant was kept temporarily (Judges 20:26-27). The city also played a role in the division of the kingdom after the reign of Solomon. Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, established Beth-El as one of the two centers of worship, setting up a golden calf for the people to worship there (1 Kings 12:28-29). This act was a significant departure from the worship of Yahweh in Jerusalem and was condemned by the prophets.

Prophetic Encounters:
Beth-El is frequently mentioned in the prophetic literature as a place of idolatry and apostasy. The prophet Amos, for instance, denounced the religious practices at Beth-El, warning of impending judgment: "Seek the LORD and live, or He will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire; it will devour, and Beth-El will have no one to quench it" (Amos 5:6). Hosea also criticized the idolatrous practices at Beth-El, referring to it as "Beth-Aven," meaning "House of Wickedness" (Hosea 4:15).

Archaeological Insights:
Archaeological excavations at the site identified as Beth-El have provided insights into its historical and cultural context. The remains suggest a city that was fortified and occupied during various periods, including the Iron Age. The findings corroborate the biblical accounts of Beth-El's significance as a religious and political center.

Theological Implications:
Beth-El serves as a powerful symbol of both divine encounter and human failure. It is a place where God revealed Himself to Jacob, establishing a covenantal promise. Yet, it also became a center of idolatry and false worship, illustrating the tension between faithfulness to God and the temptation to deviate from His commandments. The history of Beth-El underscores the importance of true worship and the consequences of turning away from God's ordained ways.

Conclusion:
Beth-El's legacy in the biblical narrative is multifaceted, reflecting both its role as a sacred site and a cautionary tale of spiritual compromise. Its account invites reflection on the nature of worship, the faithfulness of God, and the call to remain steadfast in devotion to Him.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 7:16
And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

From the Talmud and Hebraica
... Chapter 20 Beth-el. Beth-aven. ... Chapter 32 The Gates and Doors on the North Side.
Chapter 33 The Court itself. ... Chapter 36 Synagogues in the City; and Schools. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/

Book 5 Footnotes
... in the days of the Judges, was not far from Bethel. ... Mount Sion, but are found close
by the north wall of ... and the maimed, as set to keep this city or citadel ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

Chapter xxxv
... difficulty vanishes: Jacob in coming from Bethel and approaching ... Kubbet Rachel about
two miles north of Bethlehem. ... name for "KirjathArba," ie, "the city of Arba ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxv.htm

In Judaea
... Next came Bethel, with its sacred memorial of patriarchal ... to the district north-east
and north of Jerusalem ... of the priests' trumpets wakened the city with a ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 5 in judaea.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... impression that the sacking of the city was done ... difficulty vanishes: Jacob in coming
from Bethel and approaching ... Ramah lay about five miles north of Jerusalem ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm

Book 8 Footnotes
... our left hand; and Booz on the north, against our ... Jeroboam, and with the false prophet
of Bethel, than our ... Scripture, Jezreel, for that was the city meant in ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 8 footnotes.htm

The Israelites
... had settled around the sanctuary of Beth-On or Beth-el. ... The city itself was made
the capital of the kingdom ... subdued; the Aramaic kinglets to the north-east were ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

Name Date No.
... 62, 98 Noel, Miss Caroline Maria 1817-1877 528 North, Rev ... Earth has many a noble
city, [3682]t2.t27.h93-p0.6. ... O God of Bethel, by whose hand, [3914]t4.t43.h446-p0 ...
/.../name date no a abelard.htm

"This Thing is from Me"
... Shall the rush by the river resist the north wind? ... slept with his fathers, and was
buried in the city of David ... And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 42 1896/this thing is from me.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... The walls of the city fell of themselves at the ... that of three neighbouring towns,
Ai, Bethel, and Shechem. ... or mutilated.* The Amorites in the north, who had ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm