Beth-Jeshimoth

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

BETH-JESHIMOTH (‘the place of the desert’). The S. limit of the encampment on ‘the plains of Moab’ at the close of the journeyings ( Numbers 33:49 ). In Joshua 12:8 it is mentioned as in the S. of the Arabah towards the Dead Sea. In Joshua 13:20 it is assigned to Reuben; and in Ezekiel 25:9 it is spoken of as belonging to Moab. Eusebius places it 10 miles S. of Jericho. Some ruins and a well at the N.E. end of the Dead Sea bear the name of Suwaimeh , which may be a modification of Jeshimoth  ; and this situation suits the Biblical narrative.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Beth-jesh'imoth. (house of deserts). Beth-jesh'imoth or Jes'imoth, a town or place east of Jordan, on the lower level at the south end, of the Jordan valley, Numbers 33:49, and named with Ashdod-pisgah and Beth-peor.

It was one of the limits of the encampment of Israel, before crossing the Jordan. Later, it was allotted to Reuben, Joshua 12:3; Joshua 13:20, but came at last, into the hands of Moab, and formed one of the cities which were "the glory of the country." Ezekiel 25:9.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("house of the wastes".) A town E. of Jordan in the "deserts" of Moab; last but one of the stations in Israel's journeys in the wilderness (Numbers 33:49). Originally belonging to Sihon's kingdom; assigned to Reuben (Joshua 12:3; Joshua 13:20); afterward it became "the glory" of Moab (Ezekiel 25:9). According to Eusebius, ten miles S. from opposite Jericho, on the Dead Sea.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A city of Reuben, taken from the Moabites, Numbers 33:49 Joshua 12:3 13:20; but retaken by them after the captivity, Ezekiel 25:9 . It lay not far east of the mouth of the Jordan.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Numbers 33:49Numbers 33:49Joshua 12:3 Joshua 13:20Ezekiel 25:9

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Numbers 33:49Joshua 12:3

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

or (as it is less correctly Anglicized in Numbers 33:49) Beth-jes'imoth (Heb. Beyth ha-Yeshimoth', בֵּית הִיְשִׁימוֹת [in Numbers 33:49, בֵּית הִיְשִׁמֹת ], house of the wastes; Sept. Αἰσιμώθ [v. r. Αἰσιμώθ ], but Βηθασιμώθ in Joshua 13:20, and Βηθιασιμούθ [v. r. Ι᾿ασιμούθ, Βηθασιμούθ ] in Ezekiel 25:9), a town or place not far east of Jordan, near Abel-Shittim, in the "deserts" (עֲרְבֹת ) of Moab — that is, on the lower level at the south end of the Jordan valley (Numbers 33:49)-and named with Ashdothpisgah and Beth-Peor. It was one of the limits of the encampment of Israel before crossing the Jordan. It lay within the territory of Sihon, king of the Amorites (Joshua 12:3), and was allotted to Reuben (Joshua 13:20), but came at last into the hands of Moab, and formed one of the cities which were "the glory of the country" (Ezekiel 25:9). According to Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s.v. Βηθασιμούθ, Bethsimuth) it was still called by the same name (τόποι τῇς Ι᾿σμούθ, Domus Isimuth), being "opposite Jericho, 10 miles to the south, near the Dead Sea," meaning apparently southeast, and across the Jordan. It is evidently the Besimoth (Βησιμώθ ) captured by Placidus, the general of Vespasian (Josephus, War, 4, 7, 6). Schwarz (Palest. p. 228) states that there are still "the ruins of a Beth-Jisimuth situated on the north- easternmost point of the Dead Sea, half a mile from the Jordan;" a locality which, although reported by no other traveler, cannot be far from correct (Van de Velde, Memoir, p. 296).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

beth -jesh´i -moth ( בּית הישׁמת , bēth ha - yeshı̄mōth  ; Codex Vaticanus, Ἁισιμώθ , Haisimō̇th  ; Codex Alexandrinus, Ασιμώθ , Asimō̇th , and other variants (see DB , under the word)): Mentioned as the point in the south from which the camp of Israel stretched to Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab (Numbers 33:49 ). In Joshua 12:3 the way to Beth-jeshimoth is described as South of the Arabah, near the Dead Sea. It was in the lot assigned to Reuben ( Joshua 13:20 ), At what times and how long it was actually held by Israel we do not know; but it appears in Ezekiel 25:9 as belonging to Moab. It may be identical with Khirbet es - Suweimeh , where there are some ruins and a well, about 3 miles East of the mouth of the Jordan.