Atroth-beth-joab
Atroth-beth-joab is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Bethlehem. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Atroth-beth-joab, meaning "the crowns of the house of Joab," is mentioned only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 2:54, within the genealogical records of the clan of Salma, a descendant of Judah through Caleb. The text links the clan of Salma to Bethlehem and lists Atroth-beth-joab among the families associated with that lineage alongside the Netophathites and other clans. This suggests that Atroth-beth-joab was either a settlement established by or named after a kinsman of Joab, David's famous and controversial general, who belonged to the tribe of Judah from Bethlehem. The connection to Bethlehem and Joab's clan reflects the way ancient Israelite genealogies encoded both familial lineages and territorial settlements, with place names often preserving memories of founding families. Joab himself was the son of David's sister Zeruiah (1 Chronicles 2:16), making him David's nephew, and his family's territorial presence near Bethlehem is consonant with what Scripture reveals about his Judahite origins. While Atroth-beth-joab appears nowhere else in biblical narrative, its inclusion in the Chronicler's careful genealogical work testifies to its reality as a recognized Judahite settlement.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Atroth-beth-joab is tentatively associated with the vicinity of Bethlehem in Judea, consistent with its genealogical connection to the Salmah-Joab clan of Judah in 1 Chronicles 2. No site has been definitively identified as ancient Atroth-beth-joab through archaeological evidence. The Bethlehem region has seen significant archaeological attention given its prominence in biblical narrative, with surveys identifying ancient remains spanning the Bronze and Iron Ages across the surrounding hill country. The compound place name, incorporating a personal or clan name (beth-joab, "house of Joab"), suggests it was a clan settlement that faded from prominence, leaving only its genealogical record in Chronicles.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]