Yochanan 11:18

18 Now Beit-Anyah (Bethany) was near Yerushalayim, about fifteen stadia away.

Yochanan 11:18 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:18

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem
Which was a reason why them were so many of the Jews come there to condole the two sisters upon the death of their brother; and by this means the following miracle became more known there: it was

about fifteen furlongs off;
that is, about two miles, for seven furlongs and a half made a Jewish mile, as appears from one of their canons F3, which runs thus:

``they do not spread nets for doves, except it be distant from an habitable place, (oyr Myvlv) , "thirty furlongs";''

which the commentators say F4 are "four miles": and still more expressly it is said F5, that

``between Jerusalem and Zuck, (the place where the scape goat was had,) there were ten tents, and ninety furlongs, (lym lkl huxmw hebv) "seven and a half to every mile".''

Hence a furlong was called one seventh and a half of a mile F6, which was 266 cubits, and two thirds of one.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Misn. Bava Kama, c. 7. sect. 7.
F4 Maimon. Jarchi, & Bartenora in ib.
F5 Misn. Yoma, c. 6. sect. 4.
F6 T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 33. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Rotzeach, c. 13. sect. 6.

Yochanan 11:18 In-Context

16 Therefore, T’oma—his name means Twin—said to his fellow talmidim, Let us go also, that we may die [al kiddush ha-Shem] with him.
17 Having arrived, therefore, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach discovered El’azar had already been in the kever (tomb) arba’ah yamim (four days).
18 Now Beit-Anyah (Bethany) was near Yerushalayim, about fifteen stadia away.
19 And many of those of Yehudah had come to Marta and Miryam to give them nechamah (consolation, comfort) regarding the ach of the achayot. [IYOV 2:11]
20 Therefore, Marta when she heard that Yehoshua comes, met him; but Miryam was sitting shivah in the bais.
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