The Definition of the word Beth-shemesh

Beth-shemesh

House of the hollow, or of the cavern, the name of two towns or "villages (2 Chr. 8:5; 1 Chr. 7:24) in the territory of Ephraim," on the way from Jerusalem to Joppa. They are distinguished as "Beth-horon "the upper" and Beth-horon "the nether." They are" "about 2 miles apart, the former being about 10 miles north-west" of Jerusalem. Between the two places was the ascent and descent "of Beth-horon, leading from Gibeon down to the western plain" "(Josh. 10:10, 11; 18:13, 14), down which the five kings of the" "Amorites were driven by Joshua in that great battle, the most" "important in which the Hebrews had been as yet engaged, being" their first conflict with their enemies in the open field. "Jehovah interposed in behalf of Israel by a terrific hailstorm," which caused more deaths among the Canaanites than did the swords of the Israelites. Beth-horon is mentioned as having been "taken by Shishak, B.C. 945, in the list of his conquests, and" the pass was the scene of a victory of Judas Maccabeus. (Comp. "Ex. 9:19, 25; Job 38:22, 23; Ps. 18:12-14; Isa. 30:30.) The" "modern name of these places is Beit-ur, distinguished by" "el-Foka, "the upper," and el-Tahta, "the nether." The lower was" "at the foot of the pass, and the upper, 500 feet higher, at the" "top, west of Gibeon. (See [66]GIBEON.)"