בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע
be.er she.va
Beersheba
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Beersheba (בְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַע) Beersheba is a proper noun designating a specific geographical location that appears 68 times throughout the Hebrew Bible. The name itself comprises two elements: "beer" (well) and "sheva" (seven), though the lexicon data provided does not elaborate on the historical or etymological reasoning behind this compound designation. As a place name with such frequency of occurrence, it clearly held considerable importance in biblical narrative and geography. The high frequency of mentions (68 occurrences) indicates that Beersheba functioned as a significant territorial or administrative center in biblical Israel. Its repeated appearance across multiple biblical books suggests it served as a landmark for geographical reference, likely occupying a strategic or culturally notable position. The consistent use of the same transliteration across all instances demonstrates that this was a fixed, recognized location rather than a variable or symbolic reference. Beyond these observable facts from the provided data—its status as a proper noun, its considerable frequency, and its consistency of reference—further interpretation would require additional lexical information or contextual analysis not included in the current lexicon entry. The data confirms Beersheba's prominence in biblical geography but does not specify its exact functions, its historical periods of occupation, or the reasons for its religious or political significance.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
68 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.
2 Chronicles 24:1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.
2 Chronicles 30:5So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it in great numbers in the way it is written.
2 Chronicles 30:5So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it in great numbers in the way it is written.
Nehemiah 11:27in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its towns,
Nehemiah 11:27in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its towns,
Nehemiah 11:30Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.
Nehemiah 11:30Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.
Amos 5:5but don’t seek Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and don’t pass to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.
Amos 5:5but don’t seek Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and don’t pass to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.
Amos 8:14Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, ‘As your god, Dan, lives;’ and, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives;’ they will fall, and never rise up again.”
Amos 8:14Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, ‘As your god, Dan, lives;’ and, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives;’ they will fall, and never rise up again.”
Genesis 21:14Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Genesis 21:14Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Genesis 21:31Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore an oath there.
Genesis 21:31Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore an oath there.
Genesis 21:32So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
Genesis 21:32So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
Genesis 21:33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
Genesis 21:33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
Genesis 22:19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Genesis 22:19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Genesis 22:19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Genesis 22:19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Genesis 26:23He went up from there to Beersheba.
Genesis 26:23He went up from there to Beersheba.
Genesis 26:33He called it “Shibah”. Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day.
Genesis 26:33He called it “Shibah”. Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day.
Genesis 28:10Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
Genesis 28:10Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
Genesis 46:1Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac.
Genesis 46:1Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac.
Genesis 46:5Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
Genesis 46:5Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
Joshua 15:28Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
Joshua 15:28Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
Joshua 19:2They had for their inheritance Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
Joshua 19:2They had for their inheritance Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
Judges 20:1Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah.
Judges 20:1Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah.
1 Samuel 3:20All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.
1 Samuel 3:20All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.
1 Samuel 8:2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
1 Samuel 8:2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
2 Samuel 3:10to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
2 Samuel 3:10to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
2 Samuel 17:11But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.
2 Samuel 17:11But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.
2 Samuel 24:2The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, “Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the sum of the people.”
2 Samuel 24:2The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, “Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the sum of the people.”