Beth Shemesh in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE

beth-she'-mesh, beth'-shemesh (beth-shemesh; Baithsamus, "house of the sun"): This name for a place doubtless arose in every instance from the presence of a sanctuary of the sun there. In accordance with the meaning and origin of the word, it is quite to be expected that there should be several places of this name in Bible lands, and the expectation is not disappointed. Analysis and comparison of the passages in the Bible where a Beth-shemesh is mentioned show four places of this name. 1. Beth-shemesh of Judah: The first mention of a place by this name is in the description of the border of the territory of Judah (Josh 15:10) which "went down to Beth-Shemesh." This topographical indication "down" puts the place toward the lowlands on the East or West side of Israel, but does not indicate which. This point is clearly determined by the account of the return of the ark by the Philistine lords from Ekron (1 Sam 6:9-19). They returned the ark to Beth-shemesh, the location of which they indicated by the remark that if their affliction was from Yahweh, the kine would bear the ark "by the way of its own border." The Philistines lay along the western border of Judah and the location of Beth-Shemesh of Judah is thus clearly fixed near the western lowland, close to the border between the territory of Judah and that claimed by the Philistines. This is confirmed by the account of the twelve officers of the commissariat of King Solomon. One of these, the son of Dekar, had a Beth-shemesh in his territory. By excluding the territory assigned to the other eleven officers, the territory of this son of Dekar is found to be in Judah and to lie along the Philistine border (1 Ki 4:9). A Philistine attack upon the border-land of Judah testifies to the same effect (2 Ch 28:18). Finally, the battle between Amaziah of Judah and Jehoash of Israel, who "looked one another in the face" at Beth-shemesh, puts Beth- Shemesh most probably near the border between Judah and Israel, which would locate it near the northern part of the western border of Judah's territo ry. In the assignment of cities to the Levites, Judah gave Beth-shemesh with its suburbs (Josh 21:16). It has been identified with a good degree of certainty with the modern `Ain Shems. It may be that Ir-shemesh, "city of the sun," and Har- cherec, "mount of the sun," refer to Beth-shemesh of Judah (Josh 15:10; 19:41-43; 1 Ki 4:9; Jdg 1:33,35). But the worship of the sun was so common and cities of this name so many in number that it would be hazardous to conclude with any assurance that because these three names refer to the same region they therefore refer to the same place. 2. Beth-shemesh of Issachar: In the description of the tribal limits, it is said of Issachar...