Atlas Biblica

    2 others in the registry answer to the name Beth-shemesh. Every Beth-shemesh in the Bible

    place

    Beth-shemesh

    בֵּית שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ

    Beth-shemesh was a fortified city in the territory of Naphtali, from which the Naphtalites did not drive out the Canaanites.

    Where the story of Beth-shemesh happensWhere the gazetteer locates Beth-shemesh, framed to them: Beth-shemesh. Each dot is a coordinate from the gazetteer. The coastline is a modern one, simplified; no border, road or settlement of any period is drawn, and no line joins two points, because the rows state where and not in what order.Beth-shemesh
    Where the gazetteer locates Beth-shemesh
    verses
    2
    first named
    Joshua 19:38
    last named
    Judges 1:33
    feature
    settlement
    coordinates
    33.04°N · 35.33°E
    settlement33.04°N · 35.33°E

    Tel Rosh (OpenBible)

    Scholarship offers 2 identifications for this place. The leading one is shown; the others are recorded in the gazetteer.

    Description

    Beth-shemesh in the text

    In the words of STEPBible TIPNR:

    Beth-shemesh, meaning "house of the sun" in Hebrew, was a fortified city located in the territory allotted to the tribe of Naphtali. This Beth-shemesh is distinct from the cities of the same name in Judah and Issachar.

    In Joshua 19:38, Beth-shemesh is listed among the fortified cities in Naphtali's inheritance, along with other cities such as Ziddim, Zer, and Hazor. The inclusion of Beth-shemesh in this list suggests that it was a significant city with defensive structures and walls.

    Judges 1:33 reveals that the tribe of Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath, and the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in the land. However, when Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.

    The exact location of Beth-shemesh in Naphtali is uncertain, but it was likely situated in the northern part of Canaan, in the region known as the Galilee. The Galilee was known for its fertile land, abundant water sources, and strategic importance due to its proximity to major trade routes.

    No other information about this Beth-shemesh is provided in the Bible, and it is not mentioned in any other historical or archaeological context. Its name, "house of the sun," may refer to the presence of a shrine or temple dedicated to the sun god, or it could be related to a local geographical feature.

    Relations

    Direct connections

    Every entity the graph places in a stated relation with this one, grouped by the kind of link. Each relation is authored once and its inverse derived, so both ends always agree. Rows marked “registry” come from the identity spine rather than from a verse, and a row marked “which bearer is the source’s decision” is one where the name could have meant more than one person. The last group is not a relation at all — it counts the events two entities stand in together.

    Took part in

    Stands in the same events as

    Read it

    Where to read it

    Every verse of the text carried here that names this entity — 2, across 2 books. The name is written 3 times in them.

    1. Joshua1 verse

      19:38

    2. Judges1 verse

      1:33

    Onward

    Where this page goes

    Not the direct relations above — these are one hop further out, ranked so that a rare shared connection outweighs a common one. Descriptions by STEPBible TIPNR.

    via Nineteen CitiesBeth-anathCanaanite town allotted to Naphtali, but not fully conquered.via Nineteen CitiesCityCity is a concept gathering 369 labelled instances in the text.via Nineteen CitiesHoremA fortified city in Naphtalivia Nineteen CitiesMigdal-elA fortified city in Naphtalivia Nineteen CitiesVillageVillage is a concept gathering 43 labelled instances in the text.via Nineteen CitiesYironA town allotted to the tribe of Naphtali

    Sources

    What this rests on