Lives of Scripture
Bethel
Originally called Luz, Bethel ("house of God") is where Jacob, fleeing Esau, dreamed of a stairway to heaven, renamed the site, and vowed to serve God there (Genesis 28:10-22) — a vow he returned to fulfill years later (Genesis 35:1-15). It later became a center of unauthorized worship when Jeroboam set up one of his two golden calves there to keep the northern kingdom from worshiping at Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26-33), a corruption the prophets Amos and Hosea both condemned by name; Amos was told outright to leave Bethel's royal sanctuary (Amos 7:10-13). Deborah judged Israel near there, and Samuel visited Bethel on his judging circuit.
References: Genesis 12:8; Genesis 28:10-22; Genesis 35:1-15; Judges 4:5; 1 Samuel 7:16; 1 Kings 12:26-33; Amos 7:10-13
People connected to Bethel
- Abiram (M) — son of Hiel of this town, lost when his father rebuilt Jericho
1 Kings 16:34
- Amaziah (M) — priest of the royal sanctuary here, who tried to silence Amos
Amos 7:10-13
- Amos (M) — confronted here by the priest and ordered to prophesy elsewhere
Amos 7:12-15
- Deborah (F) — Rebekah's nurse, buried under an oak below this town
Genesis 35:8
- Hiel (M) — of this town, who rebuilt Jericho and lost two sons
1 Kings 16:34
- Israel (M) — dreamed of the stairway to heaven here and named the place
Genesis 28:11-19
- Jeroboam (M) — set up one of his two golden calves in this town
1 Kings 12:28-29
- Regemmelech (M) — sent from this town to ask the priests whether to keep the fasts
Zechariah 7:2-3
- Samuel (M) — judged Israel on the yearly circuit through this town
1 Samuel 7:16
- Sharezer (M) — sent from this town to inquire in Jerusalem about the fasts
Zechariah 7:2
Also named in Scripture at Bethel: Deborah (F).