Places of the Bible

Beth-shan

Jordan valley (near the Jezreel valley) · Old Testament · 3 verses

Beth-shan was a fortified city where the Jezreel valley meets the Jordan valley. It commanded an important junction of routes. The name appears in 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel in the King James text.

About Beth-shan

Beth-shan was a fortified city where the Jezreel valley meets the Jordan valley. It commanded an important junction of routes.

Its place in the story

After the battle of Gilboa the Philistines fastened the bodies of Saul and his sons to the wall of Beth-shan. The men of Jabesh-gilead came by night and recovered the bodies for burial.

Beth-shan in Scripture (KJV)

“And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.”

1 Samuel 31:10 (KJV)

“All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.”

1 Samuel 31:12 (KJV)

“And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:”

2 Samuel 21:12 (KJV)

Where it leads

The rescue of Saul's body by the men of Jabesh from Beth-shan shows loyal love in a dark hour, a faint reflection of the love perfected in Christ.

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Scripture verbatim KJV. Place facts curated; any coordinates via Wikidata (CC0).