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637 Beer, Wilhelm

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

637

important place, since it. is stated that the sons of Samuel " were judges in Beer-sheba" (I Sam. viii. 2). Amos (v. 4 et acq. viii. 14) speaks of the shrine and of its impure ritual. The importance of the place is further shown by the fact that the mother of King Jehoash came from Beer-sheba (II Kings xii. 1). In post-exilic times Beer-sheba is mentioned in Neh. xi. Later, it belonged to that part of the coun27, 30. At the time of Eusebius try held by the Idumeans. and Jerome, Beer-sheba was an important garrisoned After this, however, it fell into decay and city. now nothing remains of it but the well, the name "Bi'r cs-saba," and some unimportant ruins. ,



In the Old Testament, as already mentioned, the "; others, is said to mean "the well of the oath wells." as Stade, explain it as meaning the "seven But grammatically this is questionable on account careof the order of the words and according to

name

Beeroth

BEERAH-

Biblical Data: A descendant of Reuben, and head of the tribe at the time it was taken into captivity by Tiglath-pileser j.

(I

Chron.v.

In

C).

G. B. L.

jr.

Kabbinical

Literature

Beerah,



the

prince of the tribe of Reuben, is identical with Beeri, the father of the prophet Hosea and himself He was called H1X2 a prophet (Lev. R. xv.). (" well ") because he was a well-spring of knowledge and scholarly attainments. God caused him to die in the Assyrian captivity, in order that his piety might be of service to his fellow-exiles who died

and that he might lead the Resurrection. there,

Bibliography j.



to Palestine at

them

Pcsikta, ed. Buber, xxv. 1596.

L G

SR.

-

-



Gautier, ful investigation of travelers (see especially " The " Souvenirs de la Terre Sainte," pp. 149 et seq. Times," x. 328), there are only three wells

Expository

on the

site.

the A. Smith, Historical Geography of 279-386 ; Robinson, BihUml Researches, Seir, Sinai, Mount Hull, 278-283; USM; Guirin, JnAeeM. ami Western Palestine.

Bibliography:

(i.

H^iivLaiul, pp

J.

BEERA J.

_ „ F Bu

JR.

JR.

-

-

An

Asherite

(I

Chron.

vii. 37).

G. B. L.

BEEKOTH

(" wells ") One of the cities of the Gibeonites (Josh. ix. 17) which after the conquest This xviii. 25). fell to the lot of Benjamin (Josh,

tempo-

possession, however, seems to have been but inhabfor in II Sam. iv. 3 we find that the The name is again found in itant's fled to Gittaim. with Zethe post-exilic list of those that returned

rary



rubbabel (Ezra

v

19)

It is

ii.

the

25



Neh.

vii.

29

"

Beroth

" I

Esd.

modern El-Bireh (Baedeker-Socm,