Lexical Summary
Beth Choron: Beth Horon
Original Word:בֵּית חוֹרוֹן
Part of Speech:Proper Name Location
Transliteration:Beyth Chowrown
Pronunciation:bayth kho-ROHN
Phonetic Spelling:(bayth kho-rone')
KJV: Beth-horon
NASB:Beth-horon
Word Origin:[fromH1004 (בַּיִת - house) andH2356 (חוֹר חוֹר - hole)]
1. house of hollowness
2. Beth-Choron, the name of two adjoining places in Israel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Beth- horon
Frombayith andchowr; house of hollowness; Beth-Choron, the name of two adjoining places in Palestine -- Beth- horon.
see HEBREWbayith
see HEBREWchowr
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
bayith and
chorDefinition"place of a hollow," two adjoining cities in Pal.
NASB TranslationBeth-horon (14).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Joshua 10:10,11, also , , & in Chronicles , two cities in Ephraim, lower & upper B.H. (
place of a hole or
hollow (?) , perhaps from a wady between the two, or near by; compare also
Joshua 10:10,
Joshua 10:11 1Macc 3:16; 3:24)
1 Chronicles 7:24 ; further,
Joshua 16:5; 2Chronicles 8:5.
1hour west from
Joshua 16:3;Joshua 18:13;1 Kings 9:17; 2Chronicles 8:5; alsoJoshua 10:10,11;Joshua 18:14; probably alsoJoshua 21:22;1 Samuel 13:18;1 Chronicles 6:53; 2Chronicles 25:13; — modernBeit ±Ûr el-fôqa &et-ta—ta RobBR ii. 250 f. BdPal 21 Surveyiii. 86; — compare
Nehemiah 2:10,19;Nehemiah 13:28, only of Sanballat; also dualJoshua 10:10,11 &2 Samuel 13:34 We Dr.
in Dan (Judah ? Philistine territory)1 Kings 4:9 (where read see below II. p. 19); — modernBeit „anûn compare RobBR ii. 35.
Topical Lexicon
Geographical SettingBeth Horon comprises two adjacent settlements, Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon, commanding the ascent that rises from the Valley of Aijalon westward to the central Benjamin-Ephraim plateau. Modern identifications place them at Beit ʿUr el-Fauqa and Beit ʿUr et-Tahta, about twenty kilometers northwest of Jerusalem. The winding ridge road, repeatedly called “the ascent of Beth Horon,” is a natural choke-point; whoever controlled it held the main gateway from the coastal plain into Israel’s hill country.
Biblical Narrative Highlights
Joshua 10:10–11 records the most dramatic event associated with the site. “The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them by way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled … the LORD hurled down on them large hailstones from the sky … so the number who died by hailstones was greater than those the Israelites killed with the sword”. The terrain forced the fleeing Amorites into a narrow descent where divine judgement fell, exemplifying the synergy of Israel’s obedience and God’s supernatural aid.
Tribal Allotment and Levitical Use
The border descriptions of both Ephraim (Joshua 16:3, 5) and Benjamin (Joshua 18:13–14) converge at Beth Horon, placing the towns at a strategic tribal frontier.Joshua 21:22 and1 Chronicles 6:68 list them among the Levitical cities granted to the Kohathites, ensuring priestly presence along this vital corridor. The text attributes their original construction or restoration to Sheerah, daughter of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:24), a rare notice of female initiative in Israel’s early settlement.
Military Significance
1 Samuel 13:18 notes a Philistine raiding column moving toward Beth Horon, showing continued tactical value in the monarchic period. Solomon fortified the twin towns: “He built Upper Beth Horon and Lower Beth Horon as fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars” (2 Chronicles 8:5; cf.1 Kings 9:17). Centuries later, mercenaries dismissed by Amaziah plundered Judah “from Samaria to Beth Horon, killing three thousand people” (2 Chronicles 25:13). Control of this pass repeatedly dictated the security of the northern approach to Jerusalem.
Themes of Divine Intervention and Human Responsibility
Beth Horon’s narrative arc intertwines God’s sovereign deliverance with prudent human action. At Joshua’s command the armies marched in faith, yet victory turned on a miracle only God could supply. Solomon’s later fortifications underscore that reliance on the Lord does not negate wise preparation (compareNehemiah 4:9). For believers, the pass illustrates the walk of faith—entering promised inheritance by trust while maintaining vigilant stewardship.
Archaeological and Historical Notes
Late Bronze and Iron Age pottery, fortification remnants, and massive terrace walls at both modern Beit ʿUr sites accord with continuous occupation from Canaanite through Hellenistic times. Roman sources (e.g., Josephus, Wars 2.19.7) describe military action on the same slope, confirming its long-standing strategic importance.
Ministry Applications
• Spiritual Warfare: The ascent of Beth Horon teaches that battles often intensify at critical passes of obedience. Victory belongs to the Lord, yet He calls His people to pursue the enemy relentlessly (Philippians 3:12–14).
• God’s Sovereignty over Creation: The hailstones ofJoshua 10 reinforcePsalm 148:8—“lightning and hail … fulfilling His word.” Natural forces are obedient servants in His redemptive plan.
• Heritage of Faithful Builders: Sheerah’s role encourages both men and women to invest in lasting kingdom infrastructure, whether physical or spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Summary
Beth Horon functions in Scripture as a physical gateway and a theological showcase. From Joshua’s hail-storm victory to Solomon’s defensive works, the site demonstrates God’s faithfulness, the necessity of courage, and the wisdom of preparedness. Occupying a frontier between tribes and later kingdoms, it reminds every generation that strategic places, rightly held, become platforms for God’s glory and for the blessing of His people.
Forms and Transliterations
חֹר֑וֹן חֹר֖וֹן חֹרֹ֖ן חֹרוֹן֮ חוֹר֑וֹן חוֹר֖וֹן חוֹר֛וֹן חוֹרֹ֔ן חוֹרֹ֖ן חוֹרֹ֛ן חוֹרֹן֙ חוֹרוֹן֙ חורון חורן חרון חרן choRon ḥō·rō·wn ḥō·rōn ḥō·w·rō·wn ḥō·w·rōn ḥōrōn ḥōrōwn ḥōwrōn ḥōwrōwn
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