Where is Beeroth in the Bible located?

Beeroth was an ancient city in the region of Samaria, within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:25). Its modern archaeological site is identified as Khirbet el Burj in the West Bank of Israel.

What happened at Beeroth in the Bible?

Beeroth was one of the four Gibeonite cities that made a deceptive treaty with Joshua to avoid destruction (Joshua 9:17). Later, two of King Saul's captains, Rechab and Baanah, were from Beeroth and murdered his son Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 4:2-3).

Why is Beeroth significant in the Bible?

Beeroth is significant as a Hivite/Gibeonite city that secured survival through a covenant with Israel, illustrating themes of deception and oath-keeping. Its inhabitants later became woodcutters and water carriers for Israel (Joshua 9:21-27).

Beeroth

cityOld TestamentSamaria11 verses

Today Khirbet el BurjCountry IsraelCoordinates 31.905, 35.215

Beeroth is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Samaria in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet el Burj. It appears across 9 verses in Scripture.

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Authority Records

Wikidata

Archaeological Data

Occupation Phases

Chalcolithic4500 BCE – 3800 BCE

Early Bronze Age I3800 BCE – 3050 BCE

Early Bronze Age3800 BCE – 2500 BCE

Early Bronze Age II-III3050 BCE – 2500 BCE

Middle Bronze Age2000 BCE – 1550 BCE

Middle Bronze Age II-III1750 BCE – 1550 BCE

Iron Age I1150 BCE – 980 BCE

Iron Age IIa-b980 BCE – 720 BCE

Iron Age IIa980 BCE – 830 BCE

Iron Age II980 BCE – 539 BCE

Iron Age IIb-c830 BCE – 539 BCE

Iron Age IIc720 BCE – 539 BCE

Iron Age III (Persian)539 BCE – 333 BCE

Hellenistic333 BCE – 63 BCE

Early Roman63 BCE – 70 CE

Roman63 BCE – 324 CE

Byzantine324 CE – 638 CE

UnitoAssyrianGovernance, Villages to Empires Dataset (CC BY 4.0), doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732

Biblical History

Beeroth, meaning "wells," was one of four Hivite cities that deceived Joshua and the Israelites into making a covenant of peace (Joshua 9:17). When the Israelites discovered the ruse, they honored the sworn agreement but subjected the Gibeonites, including Beeroth's inhabitants, to perpetual service as woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and altar. The city was subsequently allotted to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:25). Beeroth figures in a dramatic episode from the reign of King David: two brothers, Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, assassinated Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, as he rested at midday (2 Samuel 4:2–3). The people of Beeroth had previously fled to Gittaim, a detail suggesting some disruption to the city's population, perhaps connected to Saul's earlier persecution of Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1–2). The city's Benjaminite affiliation and its people's role in multiple pivotal narratives make Beeroth a significant, if often overlooked, location in the drama of early Israel.

Archaeological & Historical Notes

Beeroth is most commonly identified with Khirbet el-Burj, located northwest of Jerusalem in the Benjamin highlands, though some scholars propose el-Bireh near Ramallah. Surface surveys at Khirbet el-Burj have identified pottery from the Iron Age, consistent with Benjaminite settlement in the early monarchy period. The site sits along a major north-south ridge road, making it strategically important for travel between the central hill country and Gibeon. No major excavation of Khirbet el-Burj has been completed, limiting definitive conclusions, but the topographical setting and ceramic evidence support its identification as ancient Beeroth.