BETHUEL (1)

be-thu'-el (bethu'el; "dweller in God"): A son of Nahor and Milcah, Abraham's nephew, father of Laban and Rebekah (Genesis 22:23; Genesis 24:15, 24, 47, 50; 25:20:00; 28:2, 5). In the last-named passage, he is surnamed "the Syrian." The only place where he appears as a leading character in the narrative is in connection with Rebekah's betrothal to Isaac; and even here, his son Laban stands out more prominently than he-a fact explainable on the ground of the custom which recognized the right of the brother to take a special interest in the welfare of the sister (compare Genesis 34:5, 21, 25 2 Samuel 13:20, 22). Ant, I, xvi, 2 states that Bethuel was dead at this time.

Frank E. Hirsch

BETHUEL (2)

be-thu'-el, beth'-u-el (bethu'el, "destroyed of God"): A town of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:30), the same as Bethul (Joshua 19:4), and, probably, as the Beth-el of 1 Samuel 30:27.