Sub Categories Abanah River Aceldama Achaia Achor Acropolis Adriatic Sea Adullam Aenon Ai Aijalon Alexandria Ammon Amphipolis Anathoth Antioch of Pisidia Antioch of Syria Aphek Appian Way Appii Forum Arabah Arabia Areopagus Ariel Arimathea Armageddon Ashdod Ashkelon Asia Asia Minor Athens Babylonia Beersheba Berea Beth Peor Beth Shan Beth Shemesh Bethany Bethel Bethesda Bethlehem Bethphage Bethsaida Caesarea Caesarea Philippi Calvary Cana Canaan Capernaum Carmel Cenchrea Chebar Cilicia Cities of Refuge City of David Colosse Corinth Crete Cyprus Cyrene Damascus Dan Dead Sea Decapolis Derbe Dothan Ebal Eden Edom Egypt Ekron Elath Elim Emmaus En Dor En Gedi Ephesus Eshcol Ethiopia Fair Havens Gadara Galatia Galilee Gath Gaza Gebal Gehenna Gennesaret Gethsemane Gilboa Gilead Gilgal Golgotha Gomorrah Goshen Greece Hades Haran Hebron Hell Hermon Hinnom Iconium Idumea Italy Jabbok River Jabesh Gilead Jacob's Well Jebus Jericho Jerusalem Joppa Jordan River Judah Judea Kadesh Barnea Kidron Valley Kirjath Arba Lachish Lake of Gennesaret Land of Moriah Laodicea Lebanon Mountains Levitical Cities Lycaonia Lydda Lystra Macedonia Machpelah Magdala Mahanaim Malta Marah Media Mediterranean Sea Megiddo Memphis Michmash Miletus Millo Mizpah Moab Mount Hor Mount Horeb Mount Moriah Mount Nebo Mount of Beatitudes Mount of Olives Mount of Olives Mount Sinai Mount Zion Nain Nazareth Negev Nile River Nineveh Nod Noph Ophir Padan Aram Pamphylia Paphos Paran Patmos Penuel Pergamos Persia Petra Pharpar River Philadelphia Philippi Philistia Phoenicia Phrygia Pisgah Pisidia Pithom Plain of Esdraelon Pontus Rabbah Rahab Hem Shebeth Ramah Rameses Ramoth Gilead Red Sea Rehoboth Rephidim Rome Rosetta Salamis Salt Sea Samaria Sardia or Sardis Sea of Galilee Sea of Tiberias Seir Seleucia Sharon Sheba Shechem Shiloh Shinar Shushan Sidon Siloam Smyrna Sodom Spain Succoth Sychar Syria Tahapanes Tarshish Tarsus Tekoa Tel Abib Thessalonica Thyatira Tigris River Tophet Transjordan Troas Tyre Ur Valley of Jehoshaphat Valley of Salt Wilderness of Zin Zaraphath Ziklag Zoar Back to Categories May 19    Scripture Bible Cities: Beth Shan Ancient Beth Shan Beth Shan in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE 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 (Josh 17:11; Jdg 1:27); in the days of Israel's strength they were put to taskwork (Jdg 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 Sam 31:7 ff), whence they were rescued by the men of Jabesh , who remembered the earlier kindness of the king (1 Sam 31:7 ff; 2 Sam 21:12). In 1 Ki 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 Israel by the Scythians who, according to George Syncellus, "overran Israel and took possession of Beisan." This may be the invasion noticed by Herodotus, circa 600 BC (i.104-6). Here Tryphon failed in his first attempt to take Jonathan by treachery (1 Macc 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. http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/B/BETH-SHEAN;+BETH-SHAN/ Beth Shean in Easton's Bible Dictionary house of security or rest, a city which belonged to Manasseh (1 Chr. 7:29), on the west of Jordan. The bodies of Saul and his sons were fastened to its walls. 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 Sam. 31:10, 12 and 2 Sam. 21:12. It is on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, about 5 miles from the Jordan, and 14 from the south end of the Lake of Gennesaret. After the Captivity it was called Scythopolis, i.e., "the city of the Scythians," who about B.C. 640 came down from the steppes of Southern Russia and settled in different places in Syria. It is now called Beisan. http://www.bible-history.com/eastons/B/Beth-shean/ Beth Shean in Naves Topical Bible A city of the tribe of Manasseh 1Ch 7:29; Jos 17:11 -Not subdued Jud 1:27 -Bodies of Saul and his sons exposed in 1Sa 31:10,12 -Called BETH-SHAW 1Sa 31:10,12; 2Sa 21:12 -District of, under tribute to Solomon's commissariat 1Ki 4:12 http://www.bible-history.com/naves/B/BETH-SHEAN/ Beth Shean in Smiths Bible Dictionary (house of rest), or in Samuel, BETHSHAN, a city which belonged to Manasseh, 1Ch 7:29 though within the limits of Issachar Jos 17:11 and therefore on the west of Jordan. Comp. 1 Macc. 5:62. In later times it was called Scythopolis. 2 Macc. 12:29. The place is still known as Beisan. It lies in the Ghor or Jordan valley, about twelve miles south of the Sea of Galilee and four miles west of the Jordan. http://www.bible-history.com/smiths/B/Beth-shean/ Bethshan in Hitchcock's Bible Names Beth-shean http://www.bible-history.com/hitchcock/B/Bethshan/ Bethshan Scripture - 1 Samuel 31:10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan. http://www.bible-history.com/kjv/1+Samuel/31/ Bethshan Scripture - 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. http://www.bible-history.com/kjv/1+Samuel/31/ Bethshan Scripture - 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: http://www.bible-history.com/kjv/2+Samuel/21/ Bethshean in Fausset's Bible Dictionary BETHSHEAN or BETHSHAN ("house of quiet.") Now Beisan. A city of Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:29), though within Issachar's boundary; 14 miles S. of the sea of Galilee, 4 miles W. of and on the height over the Ghor or valley of the Jordan, connected with the great plain of Jezreel, Esdraelon (Joshua 17:11). The Canaanites were not driven out thence (Judges 1:27). One of Solomon's commissariat districts was named from it, extending thence to Abel-meholah (1 Kings 4:12). Except its temporary subjection in his reign, it kept a kind of independence of Israel, holding close relations with the Phoenicians on the N. and the Philistines on the S. Hence the latter fastened Saul's body to the wall of Bethshean, and put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth (1 Samuel 31:10; 1 Samuel 31:12). The men of Jabesh Gilead stole the bones of Saul and Jonathan and Saul's other two sons from the wall in "the street" or open space before the gate of Bethshean (2 Samuel 21:12.) In 1 Samuel 29:1 translate "the Israelites pitched (before the fatal battle at Gilboa), by THE fountain in Jezreel." Close to Bethshean is the water of Ain Jalud, of which "the fountain is in Jezreel." The abundant supply of water, and the level country favoring the use of chariots, were the secondary causes which enabled the Canaanites to keep hold of Bethshean against Israel. Robinson places Jabesh Gilead at Ed Deir; so the distance to Bethshean which "the valiant men of Jabesh Gilead" took "all night" to traverse was 20 miles. The ruins are of a pagan character, and occupy a space three miles in circumference. http://www.bible-history.com/faussets/B/Bethshean/ If you notice a broken link or any error PLEASE report it by clicking HERE © 1995-2013 Bible History Online