בֵּית־אֵל
𐤁𐤉𐤕־𐤀𐤋
Bêyth-ʼÊl
H1008 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a significant place in ancient Israelite tradition, meaning 'house of El (God).' The word denotes a sanctuary or settlement, commonly associated with an important cultic site north of Jerusalem. It can refer to the site itself, the city that developed there, or, in some periods, the religious establishment integral to Israelite ritual practice. The semantic range includes both the literal sense of a physical location and the symbolic association as a center of religious activity.
Semantic Range
sanctuary, place of worship, settlement/town named Beth-El, religious center, house associated with (the deity) El
Root / Etymology
Compound derived from בַּיִת (bayit, 'house') and אֵל (El, a divine title or the chief god in Northwest Semitic, frequently used as a theonym in personal and place names). The construction בֵּית־ ('house of...') is a common toponymic prefix in Hebrew, indicating a location dedicated to or associated with a deity, notable person, or function.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בֵּית־אֵל is a toponym recorded as early as the patriarchal narratives (Genesis), where it is associated with Jacob's theophany (Gen 28, 35). The site is later mentioned as a prominent cultic center during the divided monarchy (1 Kings 12), where Jeroboam I established a sanctuary with a golden calf. Over time, בֵּית־אֵל became emblematic of both a settlement and a locus of Israelite religious practice. In late biblical and post-biblical periods, its identity remained significant in tradition but the actual location fell into obscurity. Contrast with בֵּית־יְהוָה (house of YHWH), which refers specifically to the Jerusalem Temple and not a localized sanctuary. English translations such as 'Bethel' often obscure the original connotation of a divine dwelling or cultic space, instead functioning as a geographic label. Later traditions and translations sometimes retroject non-historical meanings or associate the name 'Bethel' with broader concepts of sacred space, but in biblical usage the emphasis is on a particular sanctuary and the cultic-political role it played in Israelite religion.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בַּיִת and אֵל; house of God; Beth-El, a place in Palestine; Beth-el.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בית, אל (b-y-t; ʾ-l) — house, dwelling, container; mighty one, deity
Word Forms
7 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1008-03 |
אֵ֖ל | el | HNp |
Bethel | toward | 72 |
H1008-02 |
בֵּֽית | beyt | HNp |
Bethel | House of El | 38 |
H1008-01 |
בְּ/בֵֽית | beveyt | HR/Np |
in Bethel | in house of | 13 |
H1008-07 |
בֵֽית | veyt | HNp |
Bethel | House of El | 7 |
H1008-06 |
וּ/בֵ֣ית | uveyt | HC/Np |
and Beth | and house-of | 5 |
H1008-04 |
לְ/בֵֽית | leveyt | HR/Np |
to Bethel | to House of El | 5 |
H1008-05 |
מִ/בֵּ֣ית | mibeyt | HR/Np |
from Bethel | from House-of-El | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
144 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1008-04 |
Genesis 12:8 | לְ/בֵֽית | leveyt | HR/Np |
of Bethel | to House of El |
H1008-03 |
Genesis 12:8 | אֵ֖ל | el | HNp |
Bethel | toward |
H1008-02 |
Genesis 12:8 | בֵּֽית | beyt | HNp |
Bethel | House of El |
H1008-03 |
Genesis 12:8 | אֵ֤ל | el-2 | HNp |
Bethel | toward |
H1008-02 |
Genesis 13:3 | בֵּֽית | beyt | HNp |
Bethel | House of El |
H1008-03 |
Genesis 13:3 | אֵ֑ל | el | HNp |
toward | |
H1008-02 |
Genesis 13:3 | בֵּֽית | beyt-2 | HNp |
Bethel | House of El |
H1008-03 |
Genesis 13:3 | אֵ֖ל | el-2 | HNp |
toward | |
H1008-02 |
Genesis 28:19 | בֵּֽית | beyt | HNp |
house | House of El |
H1008-03 |
Genesis 28:19 | אֵ֑ל | el | HNp |
of God | toward |