A Levitical town in the territory of Judah, assigned to the clan of Aaron.
About Beth-shemesh (of Judah)
A Canaanite city on the northern border of Judah’s territory (Joshua 15:10) and the southern border of Dan’s southern portion. Beth-shemesh means “the house of Shamash,” the Canaanite sun god. It was included in the list of cities of Dan as Ir-shemesh (Joshua 19:41). Beth-shemesh was one of the towns of Judah gave to the Levites (Joshua 21:16; 1 Chronicles 6:59). Its inhabitants were called Beth-shemites (1 Samuel 6:14, 18). When the Philistines decided to getrid of the captured ark of the covenant because of the plagues in their cities, they took it to Beth-shemesh. The area was also the scene of a great victory of King Joash (Jehoash) of Israel over King Amaziah of Judah (2 Chronicles 25:21–23). About a century later, Beth-shemesh was captured from King Ahaz of Judah by the Philistines (2 Chronicles 28:16–20). After that, the settlement fell into decline and was finally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC.
Key References
The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.
The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.
Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.
All Scripture References (19)
Joshua (3)
The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.
The territory of their inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh,
Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.
Judges (1)
And the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But when the house of Joseph grew in strength, they pressed the Amorites into forced labor.
1 Samuel (8)
but keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.”
And the cows headed straight up the road toward Beth-shemesh, staying on that one highway and lowing as they went, never straying to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed behind them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
Now the people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they were overjoyed at the sight.
The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there near a large rock. The people chopped up the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the chest containing the gold objects, and they placed them on the large rock. That day the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD.
The number of gold rats also corresponded to the number of Philistine cities belonging to the five rulers—the fortified cities and their outlying villages. And the large rock on which they placed the ark of the LORD stands to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.
But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter.
The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom should the ark go up from here?”
1 Kings (1)
Ben-deker in Makaz, in Shaalbim, in Beth-shemesh, and in Elon-beth-hanan;
2 Kings (2)
But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah.
There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits.
1 Chronicles (1)
On the left were their kinsmen, the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,
2 Chronicles (3)
So Jehoash king of Israel advanced, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah.
There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits.
The Philistines had also raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah, capturing and occupying Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their villages.