Etymology and Meaning:
The name "Beth-a'ven" translates to "house of vanity" or "house of wickedness" in Hebrew. This name reflects the spiritual and moral decline associated with the location, as depicted in the biblical narrative.

Biblical References:
Beth-a'ven is mentioned in several passages in the Old Testament, primarily in the context of idolatry and apostasy. It is often used as a derogatory term for Bethel, a city that became a center of idol worship in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

1. Hosea 4:15 : "Though you, Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal or go up to Beth-a'ven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’" This verse highlights Beth-a'ven as a place associated with spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry, warning the people of Judah to avoid the practices prevalent there.

2. Hosea 5:8 : "Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; sound the alarm in Beth-a'ven: Lead on, O Benjamin." Here, Beth-a'ven is mentioned in the context of impending judgment, serving as a warning to the tribes of Israel about the consequences of their idolatrous practices.

3. Hosea 10:5 : "The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-a'ven. Indeed, its people will mourn for it, and its idolatrous priests will cry out over it, because its glory has departed from it." This passage underscores the idolatrous worship centered around the golden calf, a symbol of Israel's departure from true worship of Yahweh.

Historical and Geographical Context:
Beth-a'ven is believed to be located near Bethel, a significant city in the tribal territory of Benjamin. Bethel itself was a place of great historical and religious importance, being the site where Jacob had his vision of the ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28:10-19). However, under the reign of Jeroboam I, Bethel became one of the centers for the worship of golden calves, leading to its derogatory renaming as Beth-a'ven.

Theological Significance:
Beth-a'ven serves as a symbol of Israel's spiritual decline and the consequences of turning away from God. The prophets, particularly Hosea, use Beth-a'ven as a metaphor for the nation's unfaithfulness and the futility of idol worship. The name itself, "house of vanity," reflects the emptiness and deception inherent in idolatry, contrasting with the true worship of Yahweh.

Prophetic Warnings and Lessons:
The repeated warnings against Beth-a'ven in the prophetic books serve as a call to repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness. The prophets emphasize that true worship and obedience to God are paramount, and that idolatry leads to destruction and exile. Beth-a'ven thus stands as a cautionary tale for all believers, underscoring the importance of fidelity to God and the dangers of spiritual compromise.Beth-a'ven (6 Occurrences)

Joshua 7:2
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spoke unto them, saying: 'Go up and spy out the land.' And the men went up and spied out Ai.
(See RSV)

Joshua 18:12
And their border on the north side was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill-country westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
(See RSV)

1 Samuel 13:5
And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude; and they came up, and pitched in Michmas, eastward of Beth-aven.
(See RSV)

1 Samuel 14:23
So the LORD saved Israel that day; and the battle passed on as far as Beth-aven.
(See RSV)

Hosea 4:15
Though a harlot thou 'art', O Israel, Let not Judah become guilty, And come not ye in to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-Aven, Nor swear ye, Jehovah liveth.
(See RSV)

Hosea 5:8
Blow ye a cornet in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah, Shout, O Beth-Aven, after thee, O Benjamin.
(See RSV)

Beth-a'ven (6 Occurrences)
Beth-a'ven. Beth-aven, Beth-a'ven. Bethazmaveth . Multi-Version Concordance
Beth-a'ven (6 Occurrences). Joshua 7:2 And Joshua sent ...
/b/beth-a'ven.htm - 8k

Beth-aven (6 Occurrences)
Beth-aven. Bethaven, Beth-aven. Beth-a'ven . Easton's Bible Dictionary
House of nothingness; ie, "of idols", a place in the mountains ...
/b/beth-aven.htm - 9k

Bethaven (6 Occurrences)
...beth-a'-ven (beth 'awen; Baithon, Baithaun): A place on the northern boundary of
the territory of Benjamin (Joshua 18:12) East of Bethel, near Ai (Joshua 7:2 ...
/b/bethaven.htm - 9k

Bethazmaveth (1 Occurrence)

/b/bethazmaveth.htm - 6k

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