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Bible Dictionaries
Beersheba
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
or BEERSHEBA . A halting-place of Abraham ( Genesis 21:31 ), where Hagar was sent away ( Genesis 21:14 ), and where he made a covenant with Abimelech, from which the place is alleged to take its name (‘well of the covenant,’ according to one interpretation). Isaac after his disputes with the Philistines settled here ( Genesis 26:23 ), and discovered the well Shibah , another etymological speculation ( Genesis 26:33 ). Hence Jacob was sent away ( Genesis 28:10 ), and returned and sacrificed on his way to Egypt ( Genesis 46:1 ). It was assigned to the tribe of Judah ( Joshua 15:28 ), but set apart for the Simeonites ( Joshua 19:2 ). Here Samuel’s sons were judges ( 1 Samuel 8:2 ), and hither Elijah fled before Jezebel ( 1 Kings 19:3 ). Zibiah, the mother of Joash, belonged to Beersheba ( 2 Kings 12:1 ). It was an important holy place: here Abraham planted a sacred tree ( Genesis 21:33 ), and theophanies were vouchsafed to Hagar ( Genesis 21:17 ), to Isaac ( Genesis 26:24 ), to Jacob ( Genesis 46:2 ), and to Elijah ( 1 Kings 19:5 ). Amos couples it with the shrines of Bethel and Gilgal ( Amos 5:6 ), and oaths by its numen are denounced ( Amos 8:14 ). It is recognized as the southern boundary of Palestine in the frequent phrase ‘from Dan unto Beersheba’ ( Judges 20:1 etc.). Seven ancient wells exist here, and it has been suggested that these gave its name to the locality; the suffixed numeral being perhaps due to the influence of the syntax of some pre-Semitic language, as in Kiriath-arba (‘Tetrapolis’). The modern name is Bir es-Seba ’, where are extensive remains of a Byzantine city; the ancient city is probably at Tell es-Seba ’, about 2 miles to the east. Till recently the site was deserted by all but Bedouin; now a modern town has sprung up, built from the ruins of the ancient structures, and has been made the seat of a sub-governor.
R. A. S. Macalister.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Beersheba'. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdb/b/beersheba.html. 1909.
