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Beth-horon

Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia

(house of pits or caves) (Josh. 10:10, 11; 1 Sam. 13:18) — the name of two cities of the tribe of Ephraim, namely upper and lower Beth-horon, lying at a distance of 10 or 12 English miles northwest of Jerusalem and formerly belonging to the Levites. Evidently one of them was on a mountain, and the other in a valley. Lower Beth-horon was fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:17). Here Joshua won his famous victory over the five kings of the Amorites (Josh. 10:1–15); here too Judas Maccabeus won a great victory over the Syrian commanders Seron and Nicanor (1 Macc. 3:13–24).

According to Robinson, these are at present the Arab villages Beit Ur el-Tahta and Beit Ur el-Foka, several Roman miles from Jerusalem, on the road from Nicopolis to Jerusalem.

Scripture cited

Joshua 10:101 Kingdoms 13:183 Kingdoms 9:17Joshua 10:11 Maccabees 3:13

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