Bethshan
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BETH-SHEAN; BETH-SHAN

beth-she'-an, beth'-shan (beth-shan, or [beth-she'an]; in Apocrypha Baithsan or Bethsa): A city in the territory of Issachar assigned to Manasseh, out of which the Canaanites were not driven (Joshua 17:11 Judges 1:27); in the days of Israel's strength they were put to taskwork (Judges 1:28). They doubtless were in league with the Philistines who after Israel's defeat on Gilboa exposed the bodies of Saul and his sons on the wall of the city (1 Samuel 31:7), whence they were rescued by the men of Jabesh, who remembered the earlier kindness of the king (1 Samuel 31:7 2 Samuel 21:12). In 1 Kings 4:12 the name applies to the district in which the city stands. It was called Scythopolis by the Greeks. This may be connected with the invasion of Palestine by the Scythians who, according to George Syncellus, "overran Palestine and took possession of Beisan." This may be the invasion noticed by Herodotus, circa 600 B.C. (i.104-6). Here Tryphon failed in his first attempt to take Jonathan by treachery (1 Maccabees 12:40). It fell to John Hyrcanus, but was taken from the Jews by Pompey. It was rebuilt by Gabinius (Ant., XIV, v, 3), and became an important member of the league of the "ten cities" (BJ, III, ix, 7). The impiousness of the inhabitants is painted in dark colors by Josephus (Vita, 6; BJ, II, xviii, 3); and the Mishna speaks of it as a center of idol worship (`Abhodhah Zarah, i.4). Later it was the seat of a bishop.

It is represented by the modern Beisan, in the throat of the Vale of Jezreel where it falls into the Jordan valley, on the southern side of the stream from `Ain Jalud. The ruins of the ancient city are found on the plain, and on the great mound where probably stood the citadel. Between the town and the stretch of marsh land to the South runs the old road from East to West up the Vale of Jezreel, uniting in Esdraelon with the great caravan road from North to South.

W. Ewing

Library

The Death of Two Brave Warriors
... And they put his armor in the temple of Ashtarte and fastened his body
on the wall of Bethshan. When the inhabitants of Jabesh in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the death of two brave.htm

The End of Self-Will
... Judah. Saul's headless and dishonoured body hangs rotting in the sun on the
walk of Bethshan, while David sits a conqueror in Ziklag. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of self-will.htm

Demonstration xvii. --Of Christ the Son of God.
... battle with the Philistines, and if they should say that they pierced his hands
and his feet, when they fastened up his body on the wall of Bethshan; yet it ...
/.../aphrahat select demonstrations/demonstration xvii of christ the son.htm

The Grave of John, and Another Grave
... of Jabesh-Gilead, who travelled all night through the country infested by the
Philistines to rescue the bodies of Saul and his sons from the temple of Bethshan ...
//christianbookshelf.org/meyer/john the baptist/xv the grave of john.htm

The Maccabees.
... enough to take the castle on Mount Zion; but he built strong walls round the Temple,
so that it too became a fortress, and he then went to Bethshan to defend ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xviii the maccabees.htm

Some Towns Upon the Very Limits of the Land. Out of the Jerusalem ...
... Of Caphar Tsemach, there is mention also in the place first cited, col.3, in
these words: "Rabbi looseth Bethshan. Rabbi looseth Caesarea. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 95 some towns upon.htm

How Jonathan was Slain by Treachery; and How Thereupon the Jews ...
... and then to set about his design relating to Antiochus; but he judging it best to
take him off by deceit and treachery, came from Antioch to Bethshan, which by ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how jonathan was.htm

General Council of Nicæa.
... Cf. Book II. Chap. 6. Patrophilus, bishop of Scythopolis, the Bethshan of
Scripture, was an ardent and persistent Arian. Theodoret ...
/.../chapter vi general council of nicaea.htm

The History of Saul
... it might be showed in the temple of their idols, and unto the people; and set up
his arms in the temple of Ashtaroth, and hung his body on the wall of Bethshan ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the history of saul.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... All the fortresses commanding the passes of Tabor and Carmel, Megiddo, Taanach,
Ibleam, Jezreel, Endor, and Bethshan remained inviolate, and formed as it were ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Bethshan

Beth-shean, house of the tooth, or of ivory, or of sleep

Thesaurus
Bethshan (3 Occurrences)
...Bethshan (3 Occurrences). 1 Samuel 31:10 And they put his armor in the house of
Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan. (KJV). ...
/b/bethshan.htm - 9k

Beth-shan (3 Occurrences)
Beth-shan. Bethshan, Beth-shan. Bethshean . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BETH-SHEAN; BETH-SHAN. ... Bethshan, Beth-shan. Bethshean . Reference Bible.
/b/beth-shan.htm - 9k

Tirzah (17 Occurrences)
... A third claimant is Teiasir, a fortress at the point where the road from Abel-meholah
joins that from Shechem to Bethshan, fully 11 miles Northeast of Nablus. ...
/t/tirzah.htm - 14k

Beth-shean (5 Occurrences)
... In Solomon's time it gave its name to a district (1 Kings 4:12). The name is found
in an abridged form, Bethshan, in 1 Samuel 31:10, 12 and 2 Samuel 21:12. ...
/b/beth-shean.htm - 11k

Bethshean (5 Occurrences)
... In Solomon's time it gave its name to a district (1 Kings 4:12). The name is found
in an abridged form, Bethshan, in 1 Samuel 31:10, 12 and 2 Samuel 21:12. ...
/b/bethshean.htm - 11k

Bethsamos
Bethsamos. Beth-sa'ida, Bethsamos. Bethshan . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BETHSAMOS. ... See BETHASMOTH. Beth-sa'ida, Bethsamos. Bethshan . Reference
/b/bethsamos.htm - 6k

Jabeshgilead (12 Occurrences)
... went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of
Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the ...
/j/jabeshgilead.htm - 13k

Saul (371 Occurrences)
... temple of Dagon at Ashdod. They suspended his headless body, with that
of Jonathan, from the walls of Bethshan. The men of Jabesh ...
/s/saul.htm - 76k

Warfare (18 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 31:4). On that occasion the Philistines not only stripped the slain, but
cut off Saul's head and fixed his body to the wall of Bethshan (1 Samuel 31:9 ...
/w/warfare.htm - 34k

War (529 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 31:4). On that occasion the Philistines not only stripped the slain, but
cut off Saul's head and fixed his body to the wall of Bethshan (1 Samuel 31:9 ...
/w/war.htm - 64k

Bible Concordance
Bethshan (3 Occurrences)

1 Samuel 31:10 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.
(KJV)

1 Samuel 31:12 All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
(KJV)

2 Samuel 21:12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
(KJV NAS)

Subtopics

Bethshan

Related Terms

Beth-shan (3 Occurrences)

Tirzah (17 Occurrences)

Beth-shean (5 Occurrences)

Bethshean (5 Occurrences)

Bethsamos

Jabeshgilead (12 Occurrences)

Saul (371 Occurrences)

Warfare (18 Occurrences)

War (529 Occurrences)

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