Bethel (Hebrew for "House of El")

A city in ancient Israel, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem. It is identified with the Palestinian village of Beitun in the West Bank and near the modern Israeli settlement of Beit El .

Bethel was important in Old Testament times and was frequently associated with the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob. Abraham made an sanctuary in the area, giving the place the name Bethel, the city called Luz formerly. It is where Jacob is said to have had his dream of a ladder ascending to heaven. Thereupon Jacob set upright the stone which had served as his pillow, poured oil on it, and named it Bethel 'House of God'. From this the later city presumably derived its name.

For traditions of other such stones named Bethel and a god named Bethel see Bethel (god).

In troublous times the people went to Bethel to ask counsel of God (Judges 20:18, 31; 21:2). Here the ark of the covenant was kept for a long time under the care of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron (20:26-28). Here also Samuel held in rotation his court of justice (1 Sam. 7:16). It was said to be a favourite place of worship. It was included in the northern kingdom when Israel was divided. Jeroboam I made Bethel the chief sanctuary of the northern kingdom, setting up the golden calf (1 Kings 12:28-33; 13:1). Hence the prophet Hosea (Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 10:5, 8) calls it in contempt Beth-aven, i.e., "house of hurtfulness." The city was also the centre for the prophetic ministry of Amos. The city apparently escaped destruction by the Assyrians at the time of the fall of Samaria, but it was later occupied by Josiah of the remaining southern kingdom. Bethel remained an abode of priests even after the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed(2 Kings 17:28, 29).

Bethel was also a town in the south of Judah (Josh. 8:17; 12:16). It seems to be the same as the place called Bethul or Bethuel, a city of the tribe of Simeon.