Beth-aven

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A place or “wilderness” of Benjamin near Bethel (Josh. 7:22And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. (Joshua 7:2); Josh. 18:1212And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven. (Joshua 18:12); 1 Sam. 13:55And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. (1 Samuel 13:5); 1 Sam. 14:2323So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven. (1 Samuel 14:23); Hos. 4:1515Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The Lord liveth. (Hosea 4:15); Hos. 5:88Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin. (Hosea 5:8); Hos. 10:55The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it. (Hosea 10:5)). Though this is said to be on the east of Bethel, in Hosea it would appear to be a name given to Bethel itself as being no longer the “house of God,” but the “house of vanity” because of the idols there.