Beth–A´ven (house of idols), a nickname for the town of Bethel, applied to it after it became the seat of the worship of the golden calves [BETHEL]. There was, however, a town of this name not far from Bethel eastward (Joshua 7:2; 1 Samuel 13:5), the existence of which, perhaps, occasioned the transfer of the name to Bethel. There was also a desert of the same name (Joshua 18:12).