BETH-SHEMESH
(a) Levitical city, where the ark of the testimony was miraculously led by God when it was sent by the Philistines of Ekron.
Its inhabitants were punished for looking into it. Here King Amaziah of Judah was defeated by Joash king of Israel. It was later occupied by the Philistines (Josh. 15:10; 21:16; 1 Sam. 6:9-20; 1 Kings 4:9; 2 Kings 14:11, 13; 1 Chron. 6:59; 2 Chron. 25:21, 23; 28:18).
(b) Canaanite city of Naphtali (Josh. 19:38; Jude. 1:33).
(c) City of Issachar (Josh. 19:22). Identified by some as “Ain esh Shemsiyeh”, 32° 24′ N, 35° 31′ E.
(d) Idolatrous temple in Egypt (Jer. 43:13). It is assumed from its meaning, “house of the sun”, that it is On, or Heliopolis, dedicated to the worship of the sun.