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BETHULIA

(Gk. Baithuloua)

A city in Samaria in which events of the book of Judith are set. Its existence is uncertain and its location unknown, but Judith does provide some geographical information. Bethulia is N of Jerusalem (Jdt. 11:19), facing “Esdraelon opposite the plain near Dothan,” near Betomesthaim (4:6), in the “hill country of Samaria,” above springs which supplied the city’s water (6:11-12; 7:12-13).

Variant spellings for Bethulia have raised the possibility that it is not an actual city name but a pseudonym (for Bethel, “house of God”). Its meaning may also be derived from bêṯ ʿălîyâ, “house of ascents,” which may refer to a city of the Samaritan hill country such as Shechem. Scholars also argue that city names in Judith are symbolic literary elements, and thus the siege of Bethulia can be equated with the rape of Dinah (Jdt. 9; ; cf. Heb. btwlh, “virgin”).

Monica L. W. Brady

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BETHULIA

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)