Beth-Marcaboth

Holman Bible Dictionary

Joshua 19:5

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

BETH-MARCABOTH (‘place of chariots’ Joshua 19:5 , 1 Chronicles 4:31 ). A city of Simeon in the southern plains, near Ziklag, deserted in David’s time; site unknown.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Beth-mar'caboth. (house of the chariots). One of the towns of Simeon, situated to the extreme south of Judah. Joshua 19:5; 1 Chronicles 4:31. In the parallel list, Joshua 15:31, Madmannah occurs in place of Beth-marcaboth.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

beth -mar´ka -both ( בּית המּרכּבת , bēth ha - markābhōth  ; Βαιθμαχερέβ , Baithmacheréb , "the house of chariots"): Mentioned along with Hazar-susah, "the station of horses" ( Joshua 19:5; 1 Chronicles 4:31 ) as cities in the Negeb near Ziklag. It is tempting to connect these stations with "the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen" which Solomon built ( 1 Kings 9:19; compare 1 Kings 10:26 ). The site of Beth-marcaboth has not been identified, but Guérin ( La Terre Sainte. Jerusalem et le Nord de la Judée , II, 230) suggests Khan Yunas , Southwest of Gaza, as a suitable chariot city.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Eeyth Markaboth', מִרְכָּבוֹת בֵּית, house of chariots, in Chron.; Sept. Βαιθμαρχαβώθ v. r. Βαιθμαριμώθ; or with the art. in Josh., Beth- ham-markaboth' , בֵּיתאּהמִּרְכָּבֹת, house of the chariots; Sept. Βηθαμερχαβώθ v. r. Βαιθμαχερέβ, and Βαιθαμμαρχασβώθ ), one of the towns of Simeon, situated to the extreme south of Judah, with Ziklag and Hormah ( Joshua 19:5; 1 Chronicles 4:31). What "chariots" can have been in use in this rough and thinly-inhabited part of the country, at a time so early as that at which these lists of towns purport to have been made out, we know not. At a later period — that of Solomon — "chariot cities" are named, and a regular trade with Egypt in chariots was carried on ( 1 Kings 9:19; 2 Chronicles 8:6; 1 Kings 10:29; 2 Chronicles 1:17), which would naturally require depots or stopping-places on the road "up" to Palestine (Stanley, p. 160). In the parallel list, Joshua 15:30-31, MADMANNAH (See Madmannah) (q.v.) occurs in place of Beth- marcaboth; possibly the latter was substituted for the former after the town had become the resort of chariots. (See Hazar-Susah).