Berothah

(toward the wells ), Bero-tha-i (my wells ). The first of these two names is given by Ezekiel, ( Ezekiel 47:16 ) in connection with Hahlath and Damascus as forming part of the northern boundary of the promised land. The second is mentioned, ( 2 Samuel 8:8 ) in the same connection. The well-known city Beirut (Berytus) naturally suggests itself as identical with one at least of the names; but in each instance the circumstances of the case seem to require a position farther east. They were probably in the vicinity of the springs near the present Hasbeya.

BEROTHAH

be-ro'-tha (Ezekiel 47:16:

berothah; Septuagint Codex Vaticanus, Abthera; or BEROTHAH 2 Samuel 8:8; berothai, where for mibberothai Septuagint reads ek ton eklekton poleon, "from the select cities"): Probably two forms of the same name. Ezekiel 47:16 places it on the ideal northern frontier of Israel, between Damascus and Hamath. According to 2 Samuel 8:8 it was a city of Hadadezer, king of Zobah. In the parallel passage (1 Chronicles 18:8) Cun is given in place of Berothai. Its site is unknown. Ewald connected it with Beirut (so also apparently H. P. Smith, ICC, "Samuel," 307), but Ezekiel's description excludes this view. Others have sought it in the Wady Brissa, in the East slope of Lebanon, North of Baalbec. A more plausible conjecture identifies it with Bereitan (Brithen), a village somewhat South of Baalbec (Baedeker, Pal3, 369). Possibly, however, the ideal northern frontier line should be drawn farther south. See HETHLON; ZEDAD; ZOBAH.

C. H. Thomson