בֵּית עֵקֶד
Beth-Eked, a place in Palestine
Definition
Beth-Eked is a proper noun referring to a specific location in ancient Israel, mentioned only once in the Old Testament. The name literally means 'house of binding' or 'shearing house,' indicating it was a location associated with the seasonal shearing of sheep. In its sole biblical appearance (2 Kings 10:12, 14), it is the place where Jehu, the newly anointed king of Israel, encounters and executes relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. This site is identified as being on the road from Jezreel to Samaria, though its precise modern location remains uncertain.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the historical narrative of 2 Kings 10:12, 14. It functions strictly as a geographical place name, specifying the location of a significant event in Jehu's purge of the house of Ahab. The context is a military and political narrative, detailing Jehu's journey from Jezreel to Samaria.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'Bêyth' (H1004), meaning 'house' or 'household,' and a derivative from the root 'āqad' (H6123), meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie.' The combined form, 'house of binding,' is a direct reference to a sheep-shearing facility, where sheep were bound or tied during the shearing process. This reflects a common ancient practice of naming locations after their primary function.
Semantic Range
While the place name itself is not theologically loaded, its single appearance is significant within the narrative of divine judgment executed through Jehu (2 Kings 10:30). The event at Beth-Eked represents a continuation of Jehu's violent eradication of the house of Ahab, fulfilling the prophecy of Elijah against Ahab's dynasty (1 Kings 21:21-24). Understanding the name's meaning ('shearing house') adds a layer of grim irony to the scene, as Jehu 'shears' or cuts down the royal relatives there.
In ancient Israelite culture, sheep shearing was a major seasonal event, often accompanied by feasting (1 Samuel 25:2, 36). A 'house of shearing' was likely a known, established facility—a building or compound—where this communal agricultural activity took place. This cultural backdrop makes the location a plausible, public place where Jehu would encounter a group of travelers. The modern reader might miss that this was a specific functional building, not just a random spot on the road.
There are no direct synonyms for this proper place name. Other biblical place names are compounds with 'Beth' (house of), such as Beth-El (H1008) or Beth-Lehem (H1035), but they refer to entirely different locations.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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