Biblical places
Bethel
Where Jacob saw his vision of a ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28:19); its original name, Luz, was changed to Bethel, meaning 'house of God.' Traditionally identified with the West Bank village of Beitin, though some scholars propose nearby El-Bireh as an alternative.
Sources and location confidence
- Location confidence
- Probable
- Beitin
- 31.9283, 35.2383
The traditional location, Beitin, was adopted, but some scholars propose El-Bireh as an alternative, so it is included as a candidate.
Related Bible passages
These are selected indexed references, not an exhaustive list of every mention in the Bible.
Genesis 12:8
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
Joshua 7:2
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
Judges 1:22
And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.
1 Samuel 7:16
And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
1 Kings 12:29
And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
2 Kings 2:2
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
1 Chronicles 7:28
And their possessions and habitations were, Bethel and the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Gaza and the towns thereof:
2 Chronicles 13:19
And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.