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Beth-shemesh in the Bible.

Beth-shemesh is a city in the Bible, about 25 km (15 miles) west of Jerusalem. The King James Version names it in 17 verses, from Joshua 15:10 to 2 Chronicles 28:18. The King James Version also gives the name Beth-shemesh to 2 other places, listed on this page.

What happened at Beth-shemesh.

A sacerdotal city in the tribe of Dan (Josh. 21:16; 1 Sam. 6:15), on the north border of Judah (Josh. 15:10). It was the scene of an encounter between Jehoash, king of Israel, and Amaziah, king of Judah, in which the latter was made prisoner (2 Kings 14:11, 13). It was afterwards taken by the Philistines (2 Chr. 28:18). It is the modern ruined Arabic village ‘Ain-shems, on the north-west slopes of the mountains of Judah, 14 miles west of Jerusalem.

From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897).

People named with Beth-shemesh.

Near Beth-shemesh.

All 17 verses that name this Beth-shemesh.

Joshua 2

  • Joshua 15:10And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah:
  • Joshua 21:16And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

1 Samuel 8

  • 1 Samuel 6:9And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.
  • 1 Samuel 6:12And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh.
  • 1 Samuel 6:13And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
  • 1 Samuel 6:14And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
  • 1 Samuel 6:15And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.
  • 1 Samuel 6:18And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemite.
  • 1 Samuel 6:19And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
  • 1 Samuel 6:20And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

1 Kings 1

  • 1 Kings 4:9The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan:

2 Kings 2

  • 2 Kings 14:11But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
  • 2 Kings 14:13And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

1 Chronicles 1

2 Chronicles 3

  • 2 Chronicles 25:21So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
  • 2 Chronicles 25:23And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
  • 2 Chronicles 28:18The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

Other places called Beth-shemesh.

Beth-shemesh, about 140 km (87 miles) north of Jerusalem.

A town, named in 2 verses.

  • Joshua 19:38And Iron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.
  • Judges 1:33Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them.

Beth-shemesh, about 105 km (65 miles) north of Jerusalem.

A city, named in 1 verse.

  • Joshua 19:22And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Beth-shemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.

Questions about Beth-shemesh.

Where is Beth-shemesh in the Bible?

Beth-shemesh is a city about 25 km (15 miles) west of Jerusalem. BibleLectio shows it on a painted map of the Bible’s world, with every verse that names it.

How many times is Beth-shemesh named in the Bible?

The King James Version names Beth-shemesh in 17 verses, in 6 books, from Joshua 15:10 to 2 Chronicles 28:18. It also gives the name Beth-shemesh to 2 other places.

Which people are named with Beth-shemesh in the Bible?

The verses that name Beth-shemesh also name Amaziah, Joash, Ahaziah, Joshua, Dekar and Judah.

Every place in the Bible, on one map.

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