Beer
- A "dug well", whereas EN or AIN is a "fountain" or "spring". Israel's last halting place was so-called, from the well dug there, beyond the Arnon, by the princes and nobles. A poetical fragment celebrates the fact (Num 21:16-18): "Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it. The princes digged the well; the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves". What a contrast was this Beer, digged amidst the people's joyous songs in honor of their princes, to the miraculous smiting of the rock amidst their murmuring against God and their leaders (Num 20:2). Perhaps the BEER-ELIM, "well of the princes," of Isa 15:8, on the border of Moab southwards. The howling (yillelathah; Beer-elim is chosen as similar in sound) shall reach even that remote point. Tradition made this the last appearance of the water that "followed" the people before their entrance into Canaan; compare 1Co 10:4.
- A place whither Jotham, Gideon's son, fled from Abimelech (Jdg 9:21).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Beer
Beer be'-er (be'er; phrear; Latin puteus = "well"): ⇒See a list of verses on BEER in the Bible. (1) A station on the march of the Israelites to the North of the Arnon (Nu 21:16). Here it was that they sang round the well this song: `Spring up O well; greet it with song, ⇒See the definition of beer in the KJV Dictionary Well, that the princes have dug, The nobles of the people have bored, ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia. With the scepter--with their staves' (Nu 21:16 ff). The place is not identified. (2) The town to which Jotham fled from his brother Abimelech after declaring his parable from Mt. Gerizim (Jg 9:21). This may be identical with BEEROTH, which see.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Beer
1. A station in the ioumey from Amon to the Jordan, mentioned Nu 21'°, with a poetical extract commemorating the digging of a well at this spot. The context indicates the neighbourhood, but further identification of the station is wanting. Perhaps the words translated ' and from the wilderness,' which immediately follow this extract (Nu 21'*), should be translated (following the LXX diri tppiaros), ' and from Beer,' or ' the well.' It is generally identified with Beer-Elim('wellof mighty men'?), mentioned Is 15', and in the second part of the compound name it may be conjectured that there is reference to the event commemorated .in the song, Nu 21"- ". See Budde in New World, Mar. 1895, p 136 ff. 2. The place to which Jotham ran away after uttering his parable (Jg 9^'). Its position is un- known. If, as some suppose, it is the same as Beeroth (Jos 9"), its site is fixed (see Beeroth). But Beeroth is in Benjamin, and it seems probable that Jotham fled to his o\\'n people in Manasseh, and not southward. A. T. Chapman.
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Beer
(a well). One of the latest halting-places of the Israelites, lying beyond the Arnon. (Numbers 21:16-18) This is possibly the BEER-ELIM of (Isaiah 15:8) A place to which Jotham, the son of Gideon, fled for fear of his brother Abimelech. (Judges 9:21)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia