בֵּית שְׁאָן (H1052) — Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית שְׁאָן

𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤔𐤀𐤍

Bêyth Shᵉʼân

H1052 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ב ית ש 앙 to house, to dwell, to be at ease, to rest securely

Definition

Proper noun designating a Canaanite and later Israelite city in the northern Jordan Valley, whose name means 'house of (rest, quiet, security)'. The term combines the word for 'house' (בַּיִת) with a second element (שְׁאָן or שָׁן) likely denoting ease, tranquility, or security. The semantic range of the place name encompasses both a literal toponym and its figurative sense as a place associated with rest or security in its ancient context.

Semantic Range

proper noun/place name, city name; house of tranquility, house of rest, house of ease; site of significance in Canaanite, Israelite, and later Hellenistic history; literal and figurative associations with rest or security

Root / Etymology

A compound constructed from the nouns בַּיִת (bayit, 'house') and either the verb שָׁאַן (sha'an, 'to be at ease, be quiet, rest securely') or a related nominal form. Hence, the place name means 'house of rest/security.' Alternative spelling בֵּית שָׁן likely reflects dialectal or orthographic variation, not a distinct etymological origin.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בֵּית שְׁאָן (Beth-shean) is attested as a significant Canaanite city in the Late Bronze Age, later assigned to the tribal territory of Manasseh and functioning as an administrative center for Egyptian, Canaanite, and Israelite periods. During the monarchic period, Israelite control was incomplete, with the city remaining a Canaanite enclave under Philistine influence as seen in the Saul narratives (1 Sam 31:10-12). Later, during the Hellenistic period, the city became known as Scythopolis, reflecting continued importance but also cultural change. The compound naming formula 'House of X' (בֵּית + noun) is common among biblical place names (e.g., Bethel, Bethsaida). The English rendering 'Beth-shean' in modern translations reflects the Hebrew toponym, but does not fully express its connotation of tranquility or security. Beth-Shan (with the variant שָׁן) reflects a secondary spelling; the two refer to the same location. In biblical narratives, the name primarily functions as a geographic identifier rather than conveying its literal etymological sense, yet the original sense of security or rest aligns with the fertile and strategic location of the site.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or בֵּית שָׁן; from בַּיִת and שָׁאַן; house of ease; Beth-Shean or Beth-Shan, a place in Palestine; Beth-shean, Beth-Shan.

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct, establish (family)

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1004	בַּיִת	in the houses
H1005	בַּיִת	the built-house
H1006	בַּיִת	the house
H1007	בֵּית אָוֶן	house-of
H1008	בֵּית־אֵל	in house of
H1009	בֵּית אַרְבֵּאל	house of
H1010	בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן	house-of
H1011	בֵּית בִּרְאִי	and in the house of
H1012	בֵּית בָּרָה	house of
H1013	בֵּית־גָּדֵר	house-of
H1014	בֵּית גָּמוּל	house of
H1015	בֵּית דִּבְלָתַיִם	house-of
H1016	בֵּית־דָּגוֹן	house-of
H1017	בֵּית הָאֱלִי	house of
H1018	בֵּית הָאֵצֶל	house of
H1020	בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת	house-of
H1021	בֵּית הַכֶּרֶם	house-of
H1022	בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי	house of
H1023	בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק	house-of
H1024	בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת	and house of
H1025	בֵּית הָעֵמֶק	house of
H1026	בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה	house-of
H1027	בֵּית הָרָם	house-of
H1028	בֵּית הָרָן	house of
H1029	בֵּית הַשִּׁטָּה	house-of
H1030	בֵּית הַשִּׁמְשִׁי	house-of
H1031	בֵּית חׇגְלָה	house of
H1032	בֵּית חוֹרוֹן	house-of
H1033	בֵּית כַּר	to the built-house of
H1034	בֵּית לְבָאוֹת	and house-of
H1035	בֵּית לֶחֶם	in the house of
H1036	בֵּית לְעַפְרָה	in the built-house of
H1038	בֵּית מַעֲכָה	house of
H1039	בֵּית נִמְרָה	house of
H1041	בֵּית עַזְמָוֶת	house of
H1042	בֵּית עֲנוֹת	and house of
H1043	בֵּית עֲנָת	and house-of
H1044	בֵּית עֵקֶד	house-of
H1046	בֵּית פֶּלֶט	and house of
H1047	בֵּית פְּעוֹר	house of
H1048	בֵּית פַּצֵּץ	and house-of
H1049	בֵּית צוּר	house of
H1050	בֵּית רְחוֹב	house-of
H1051	בֵּית רָפָא	house of
H1053	בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ	in the built-house of
H1054	בֵּית תַּפּוּחַ	and house of
H1121	בֵּן	sons
H1122	בֵּן	son
H1123	בֵּן	sons of
H1124	בְּנָא	the ones building
H1125	בֶּן־אֲבִינָדָב	son
H1126	בֶּן־אוֹנִי	son
H1127	בֶּן־גֶּבֶר	son
H1128	בֶּן־דֶּקֶר	son
H1129	בָּנָה	he built
H1130	בֶּן־הֲדַד	son
H1131	בִּנּוּי	Built-Up One
H1132	בֶּן־זוֹחֵת	and son of
H1133	בֶּן־חוּר	son
H1134	בֶּן־חַיִל	to a son of
H1135	בֶּן־חָנָן	son
H1136	בֶּן־חֶסֶד	son
H1137	בָּנִי	Built-one
H1138	בֻּנִּי	Built One
H1139	בְּנֵי־בְּרַק	and sons of
H1140	בִּנְיָה	and the built-structure
H1141	בְּנָיָה	Yahweh has built
H1142	בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן	among sons of
H1145	בֶּן־יְמִינִי	son
H1146	בִּנְיָן	constructed structure
H1147	בִּנְיָן	the built structure
H1151	בֶּן־עַמִּי	son
H1323	בַּת	daughters
H1324	בַּת	daughter of
H1337	בַּת רַבִּים	daughter of
H1339	בַּת־שֶׁבַע	daughter of
H1340	בַּת־שׁוּעַ	to a daughter of
H205	אָוֶן	and building-stone
H2995	יַבְנְאֵל	and God-Builds
H2996	יַבְנֶה	Yabneh, Building-place
H2997	יִבְנְיָה	Yah Has Built
H2998	יִבְנִיָּה	Yah Builds
H358	אֵילוֹן בֵּית חָנָן	house of
H3845	לִבְנִי	to my son
H4011	מִבְנֶה	like the built-structure of
H4012	מְבֻנַּי	Built-Up One
H4996	נֹא	his son
H5524	סֻכּוֹת בְּנוֹת	daughters of
H5854	עַטְרוֹת בֵּית יוֹאָב	house of
H62	אָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה	house of
H68	אֶבֶן	your building-stones
H69	אֶבֶן	building-stone of
H72	אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר	building-stone of
H8401	תֶּבֶן	the straw residue
H8403	תַּבְנִית	in building-pattern of
H885	בְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַעֲקַן	sons of
H935	בּוֹא	daughter of
H956	בּוּת	and daughter of
H995	בִּין	son of
H996	בֵּין	son

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H1052-02`	בֵּית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of	7
`H1052-05`	שְׁאָ֣ן	shean	`HNp`	shean	House of Secure Rest	6
`H1052-04`	שָֽׁן	shan	`HNp`	shan	House of Rest	3
`H1052-01`	בְּ/בֵית	beveyt	`HR/Np`	in Beth	in the built-house of	1
`H1052-03`	מִ/בֵּ֤ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Beth	from the built-house of	1

Occurrences in Scripture

18 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H1052-02`	Joshua 17:11	בֵּית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of
`H1052-05`	Joshua 17:11	שְׁאָ֣ן	shean	`HNp`	Shean	House of Secure Rest
`H1052-01`	Joshua 17:16	בְּ/בֵית	beveyt	`HR/Np`	in Beth	in the built-house of
`H1052-05`	Joshua 17:16	שְׁאָן֙	shean	`HNp`	-shean	House of Secure Rest
`H1052-02`	Judges 1:27	בֵּית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of
`H1052-05`	Judges 1:27	שְׁאָ֣ן	shean	`HNp`	shean	House of Secure Rest
`H1052-02`	1 Samuel 31:10	בֵּ֥ית	beyt-2	`HNp`	Beth	house-of
`H1052-04`	1 Samuel 31:10	שָֽׁן	shan	`HNp`	Shan	House of Rest
`H1052-02`	1 Samuel 31:12	בֵּ֣ית	beyt	`HNp`	of Beth	house-of
`H1052-04`	1 Samuel 31:12	שָׁ֑ן	shan	`HNp`	shan	House of Rest
`H1052-02`	2 Samuel 21:12	בֵּֽית	beyt	`HNp`	of Beth	house-of
`H1052-04`	2 Samuel 21:12	שַׁ֗ן	shan	`HNp`	shan	House of Rest
`H1052-02`	1 Kings 4:12	בֵּ֣ית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of
`H1052-05`	1 Kings 4:12	שְׁאָ֡ן	shean	`HNp`	shean	House of Secure Rest
`H1052-03`	1 Kings 4:12	מִ/בֵּ֤ית	mibeyt	`HR/Np`	from Beth	from the built-house of
`H1052-05`	1 Kings 4:12	שְׁאָן֙	shean-2	`HNp`	shean	House of Secure Rest
`H1052-02`	1 Chronicles 7:29	בֵּית	beyt	`HNp`	Beth	house-of
`H1052-05`	1 Chronicles 7:29	שְׁאָ֤ן	shean	`HNp`	Shean	House of Secure Rest

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