(BEEROTH)
(BEEROTH)
Uma cidade em Canaã, uma das confederações de cidades sob a chefia de Gabaão, cujo território foi invadido pelos israelitas sob Josué (Josué 9). Seus habitantes, juntamente com os de três cidades vizinhas, para se salvarem do extermínio, foram até Josué disfarçados de viajantes de terras distantes e imploraram misericórdia; os israelitas firmaram uma aliança com eles, mas quando a decepção foi descoberta, fizeram deles cortadores de lenha e tiradores de água para si. Sua cidade foi posteriormente atribuída à tribo de Benjamim (Josué 18:25), mas parece ter permanecido cananeia até a monarquia, pois apenas era "reckoned" entre as cidades de Benjamim (2 Samuel 4:2). Mais tarde, os berotitas fugiram para Getaim (4:3), provavelmente na época em que Saul procurou matar os gabaonitas (2 Samuel 21:2), com quem os berotitas parecem ter sido contados (Josué 9:3, 17). Dois descendentes desses berotitas mataram Isboseth, filho de Saul, pretendente ao seu trono e rival de Davi; eles trouxeram sua cabeça a Davi, que puniu o assassinato com a morte (2 Samuel 4). Provavelmente a vingança contra Saul pelo dano causado a seus pais foi um de seus motivos, pois a rixa de sangue era considerada um dever. Naharai, escudeiro de Joab, grande general de Davi, era berotita (2 Samuel 23:37), e lemos sobre homens de Beroth entre os exilados que retornaram (Esdras 2:25; Neemias 7:29), embora estes fossem mais provavelmente israelitas.
A city in Chanaan, one of the confederation of cities under the headship of Gabaon (Gibeon), whose territory was invaded by the Israelites under Josue (Joshua 9). Its inhabitants, together with those of three neighbouring cities, in order to save themselves from extermination, went to Josue in the disguise of travellers from afar and begged mercy; the Israelites entered into a league with them, but when the deception was discovered made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for themselves. Their city was afterwards assigned to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:25), but it seems to have remained Chanaanite till the monarchy, as it was only "reckoned" among the cities of Benjamin (2 Samuel 4:2). Later the Berothites fled to Gethaim (4:3), probably at the time Saul sought to slay the Gabaonites (Gibeonites, 2 Samuel 21:2), with whom the Berothites seem to have been reckoned (Joshua 9:3, 17). Two descendants of these Berothites slew Isboseth, the son of Saul, claimant to his throne and rival of David; they brought his head to David, who punished the murder with death (2 Samuel 4). Probably revenge on Saul for his injury to their fathers was one of their motives, for blood feud was regarded as a duty. Naharai, armour-bearer of Joab, David's great general, was a Berothite (2 Samuel 23:37), and we read of men of Beroth among the returned exiles (Ezra 2:25; Nehemiah 7:29), though these were more probably Israelites.
Beroth é geralmente identificada com El-Bîréh, uma cidade de 800 habitantes, situada cerca de 14 quilómetros ao norte de Jerusalém, perto da qual há uma abundância de água (poços de Beroth) onde a tradição relata que José e Maria pararam no seu regresso de Jerusalém, quando sentiram a falta do Menino Jesus (Lucas 2). Era o ponto de parada habitual das caravanas para Nablus e Nazaré.
Beroth is usually identified with El-Bîréh, a town of 800 inhabitants, about 9 miles north of Jerusalem, near which is an abundance of water (Beroth wells) at which tradition reports Joseph and Mary halted on their return from Jerusalem when they missed the Child Jesus (Luke 2). It was the usual stopping place of caravans to Nâbulus and Nazareth.
Fontes:
Sources:
- LEGENDRE em VIG., Dict. de la Bible (Paris, 1895)
- ROBINSON, Pesquisas Bíblicas na Palestina (Boston, 1874), I, 452.
- LEGENDRE in VIG., Dict. de la Bible (Paris, 1895)
- ROBINSON, Biblical Researches in Palestine (Boston, 1874), I, 452.