בְּאֵרוֹת (be.e.rot)
be.e.rot
Beeroth
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Beeroth, meaning "wells," refers to a specific city in ancient Israel allotted to the tribe of Benjamin. This location appears six times in the Hebrew Bible, most prominently within the narratives of Joshua and Nehemiah, as well as in Second Samuel.
Historically, Beeroth is significant because it was one of the four cities inhabited by the Gibeonites, a people who secured a covenant with Israel through deception. Although the land was assigned to Benjamin, the city remained under Gibeonite control for a time, creating complex political tensions that later influenced events during the reign of King David.
The name itself highlights the critical importance of water sources in the region’s settlement patterns. By identifying Beeroth as a "well" city, the text underscores how access to reliable water shaped tribal boundaries and community survival in the land of Canaan.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Beeroth means wells, a name that speaks to life in dry places. In ancient Israel, water sources determined where people could live and how tribes divided their land. This city belonged to Benjamin but was held by the Gibeonites, showing how complex relationships shaped the community.
The story of Beeroth reminds us that history is full of mixed loyalties and difficult negotiations. Even when plans were made through deception or political tension, God’s people continued to settle and survive. Access to water became a matter of survival, but it also highlighted the need for careful boundaries and honest agreements.
Today, this word invites us to consider what sustains our own lives. Just as Beeroth provided physical water, we look to spiritual sources that keep us going through hard seasons. The Bible shows us that God provides for His people even in complicated situations, offering hope and stability when things feel uncertain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Beeroth4×
- from/ Beeroth1×
- Beeroth1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/בְאֵר֔וֹת2×
- מִ/בְּאֵרֹ֥ת1×
- וּ/בְאֵרֽוֹת\׃1×
- וּ/בְאֵר֖וֹת1×
- בְּאֵר֔וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 9:17
The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
This verse lists Beeroth among the Gibeonite cities that Israel discovered were not destroyed, showing how the covenant with these deceptive neighbors shaped territorial boundaries.
-
II Samuel 4:2
Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is considered a part of Benjamin;
Here Rechab is called a Beerothite, linking the city to the political tensions of David’s reign when men from Benjamin were involved in the assassination of Ish-bosheth.
-
Ezra 2:25
The children of Kiriath Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three.
This census record shows that descendants from Beeroth returned from exile, demonstrating how the city’s identity persisted even after centuries of displacement.