Bethel
AbrahamicJewishcityMiddle East20 BCE - 8 BCE
Loading map…
Location
Modern Name
Beitin
Country
Palestinian Territories
Region
Middle East
Coordinates
31.9377, 35.2248
Era
20 BCE - 8 BCE
Site Type
City
About
Ancient Canaanite and Israelite city where Jacob dreamed of a ladder to heaven and where Jeroboam erected golden calves.
Significance
One of the most frequently mentioned cities in the Hebrew Bible; site of Jacob's foundational covenant experience and a major Israelite cultic center.
History & Historical Arc
Originally Canaanite Luz; renamed Bethel ('House of God') by Jacob; became a royal sanctuary of the northern kingdom und…
Archaeological Notes
Identified with Beitin; excavations by Albright (1934) and Kelso (1954-60) revealed continuous occupation from Early Bro…
Key Features & Structures
- tel (tell Beitin)
- ancient altar remains
Visitor Information
Limited access; located in Area B of the West Bank; visited primarily by archaeologists and religious pilgrims.
Related Figures
AbrahamJacobJeroboam IAmos
In the Bible
Source References
- Genesis 28:10-22
- Genesis 35:1-15
- 1 Kings 12:29
- Amos 7:13