Beth-Peor

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Beth-Peor . A city belonging to Reuben (  Joshua 13:20 ), located most probably some four or five miles north of Mt. Nebo, near the Pisgah range. Just opposite to it, in the ravine ( Wâdy Hesbân probably), the Israelites encamped (  Deuteronomy 3:29;   Deuteronomy 4:46 ). Moses was buried in the valley ‘over against Beth-peor’ (  Deuteronomy 34:6 ). Conder suggests a site several miles to the S., near ‘Ain el-Minyeh , but the impression given by   Numbers 25:1-8 is that the city was not so far distant from the plain of Shittim.

G. L. Robinson.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Beth-peor ( Bĕth'Pç'Or ), Temple Of Peor. A place where the worship of Baal-peor had prevailed, in the district allotted to Reuben.  Deuteronomy 3:29;  Deuteronomy 4:46;  Joshua 13:20. It was in a ravine over against Beth-peor that Moses was buried.  Deuteronomy 34:6.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Deuteronomy 3:29 Deuteronomy 4:46 Deuteronomy 34:6 Joshua 13:20 Numbers 25:1-5 Hosea 9:10Peor

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A town of Moab, in the limits assigned to Reuben, and conquered from the Amorites,  Joshua 13:20 . It was infamous for the worship of Baal-peor. In the adjacent valley Moses rehearsed the law to Israel, and was buried,  Deuteronomy 4:44-46   34:6 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Beth-pe'or. (House Of Peor). A place on the east of Jordan, opposite Jericho and six miles above Libias or Beth-haran .  Joshua 13:20;  Joshua 3:29;  Joshua 4:46.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 13:20 Deuteronomy 3:29 4:46 Deuteronomy 34:6

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

See Baal-Peor. It was a city of Moab. ( Deuteronomy 4:46) The house of opening; from Pahar, to open.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

beth - pē´or ( בּית פעור , bēth pe‛ōr  ; οῖκος Φογώρ , oı́kos Phogō̇r  ; in Joshua (Vaticanus), Βαιθφογώρ , Baithphogō̇r , or βεθ- , beth -): "Over against Beth-peor" the Israelites were encamped, "beyond the Jordan, in the valley," when Moses uttered the speeches recorded in Dt ( Deuteronomy 3:29;  Deuteronomy 4:46 ). "In the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor" Moses was buried ( Deuteronomy 34:6 ). Beth-peor and the slopes of Pisgah (the King James Version "Ashdoth-pisgah") are mentioned in close connection in  Joshua 13:20 . According to Eusebius, Onomasticon , Beth-peor was situated near Mt. Peor (Fogor) opposite Jericho, 6 miles above Livias. Mt. Peor is the "top" or "head" of Peor ( Numbers 23:28 ). Some height commanding a view of the plain East of the river in the lower Jordan valley is clearly intended, but Thus far no identification is possible. "The slopes of Pisgah" are probably the lower slopes of the mountain toward Wādy ‛Ayūn Mūsa . Somewhere North of this the summit we are in search of may be found. Conder suggested the cliff at Minyeh , South of Wādy Jedeideh , and of Pisgah; and would locate Beth-peor at el - Mareighāt , "the smeared things," evidently an ancient place of worship, with a stone circle and standing stones, about 4 miles East, on the same ridge. This seems, however, too far South, and more difficult to reach from Shittim than we should gather from  Numbers 25:1 .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Beyth Peor', בֵּית פִּעוֹר , House Of Peor, i.e. temple of Baal-Peor; Sept. Οϊ v Κος Φογώρ , but in Joshua Βηθφογώρ or Βαιθφογώρ ), a place in Moab, no doubt dedicated to the god Baal-peor, on the east of Jordan; according to Eusebius and Jerome ( Onomast. s.v. Βεθφογόρ , Bethfogo), it lay opposite Jericho, and six miles above Livias or Beth-haran. It was in the possession of the tribe of Reuben ( Joshua 13:20). In the Pentateuch the name occurs in a formula by which one of the last halting-places of the children of Israel is designated — "the ravine ( הִגִּאְי ) over against ( מוּל ) Beth-peor" ( Deuteronomy 3:29;  Deuteronomy 4:46). In this ravine Moses was probably buried ( Deuteronomy 34:6). It appears to have been situated on the slope of the eminence (Nebo or Peer), about half way between Heshbon and the north end of the Dead Sea.

Here, as in other cases, the Beth- may be a Hebrew substitution for Baal-, or the name may be an abbreviation of Baal-peor (q.v.).