בֵּית הָאֱלִי (bet ha.e.li)
bet ha.e.li
Bethelite
N:N--LGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--LG
Word Overview
The term bet ha’eli, translated as Bethelite, identifies an inhabitant of Bethel. The name literally means "house of God," sharing its root with the city’s own name, bet-el. This linguistic connection highlights how the place itself was defined by its association with the divine in ancient Israelite thought.
Its usage is extremely limited in Scripture, appearing only once in the Old Testament. In 1 Kings 16:34, it functions as a gentilic adjective to describe a specific individual from that town during the reign of King Ahab. The word serves primarily as a geographic marker rather than carrying deep theological weight in this instance.
Because it is so rare, the term offers little room for broader semantic range or nuanced distinction from other words. It simply denotes origin. Translators typically render it as "Bethelite" to maintain this precise link to the city’s identity without adding interpretive layers not present in the Hebrew text.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Bethel means "house of God," and this rare term simply identifies someone from that place. In Scripture, it appears only once to describe Hiel, who rebuilt Jericho during King Ahab’s reign. This brief mention serves as a historical marker, linking his actions to the ancient prophecy given by Joshua.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God’s words endure through generations. What was spoken long ago came to pass, showing His sovereignty over history and human efforts. You can trust that God remains faithful to His promises, even when people act in ways that seem contrary to His will. This assurance brings peace, knowing that His plans unfold according to His perfect timing.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] Beth-1×
- <the>/ -elite1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָ/אֱלִ֖י1×
- בֵּ֥ית1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 16:34
In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid its foundation with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.
This is the only occurrence of the word, identifying Hiel as a resident of Bethel whose rebuilding of Jericho fulfilled Joshua's earlier prophecy.