Beth-shemesh: House of the sun.1. A sacerdotal city in the tribe of Dan
(Joshua 21:16; 1 Samuel 6:15) on
the north border of Judah
(Joshua 15:10) It was the scene of an
encounter between Jehoash, king of Israel, and Amaziah, king of
Judah, in which the latter was made prisoner
(2 Kings 14:11,13) It
was afterwards taken by the Philistines
(2 Chronicles 28:18) It is the
modern ruined Arabic village 'Ain-shems, on the north-west
slopes of the mountains of Judah, 14 miles west of Jerusalem.
2. A city between Dothan and the Jordan, near the southern border
of Issachar
(Joshua 19:22), 7 1/2 miles south of Beth-shean. It is
the modern Ain-esh-Shemsiyeh.
3. One of the fenced cities of Naphtali
(Joshua 19:38) between Mount
Tabor and the Jordan. Now Khurbet Shema, 3 miles west of Safed.
But perhaps the same as No. 2
4. An idol sanctuary in Egypt
(Jeremiah 43:13) called by the Greeks
Heliopolis, and by the Egyptians On (q.v.),
(Genesis 41:45)
