Bethel Is Still Beitîn -- By: Anson F. Rainey

Journal: Westminster Theological Journal
Volume: WTJ 33:2 (May 1971)
Article: Bethel Is Still Beitîn
Author: Anson F. Rainey


Bethel Is Still Beitîn

Anson F. Rainey

[This article by Professor Rainey is in response to the article by David Livingston, “Location of Biblical Bethel and Ai Reconsidered,” which was published in the November 1970 issue of this journal. A reply by Mr. Livingston is scheduled to appear in the next issue.]

The ensuing remarks pertain to an article in the November 1970 issue of The Westminster Theological Journal by David Livingston.1 Although Mr. Livingston did study at the American Institute for Holy Land Studies, Jerusalem, during the Spring term, 1966, the subject of relocating Beitîn was never broached, as far as I can remember, in my class on the historical geography of the Holy Land. When Mr. Livingston came to Israel for his brief visit in January 1969, during which he was “researching in the area north of Jerusalem,”2 he never once contacted me for the purpose of discussing the problem. If he had, I would have told him the following:

The identification of Bethel is based on the four main types of evidence usually discussed in the first lecture of my course, viz., toponymy,3 archaeology, topography and the ancient texts. In this case the topography can be dealt with in direct

relation to the texts, especially the biblical passages. The other written evidence, in particular that from the Byzantine period, can then be approached realistically.

I. Toponymy

Edward Robinson and Eli Smith were ahead of their own age in linguistic ability. For that reason they were able to recognize immediately the validity of the equation Beitîn=Bêṯ-ʾēl which the Greek priests at Ṭaiyibeh had also understood. The shift of final Hebrew lamed to Arabic nun is a known phenomenon in Palestinian toponymics. A good case in point is biblical Yizréʿēʾl (actually the alef is quiescent) = Jezreel, which became Zerʿîn in Arabic. Now the word Zerʿîn does not have meaning in Arabic; it is close, however, to the plural of the active participle, zārʿîn, “(the ones) sowing.”4 The very fact that the Palestinian fellāḥîn (peasants) did not accommodate the place name to a form existing in their language is very important. It was a not uncommon tendency amon...

You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe
visitor : : uid: ()