234. Beesthara. Joshua 21:27; K. 50:22; L. 248:21.
Summary of biblical information. On Basanite see K. 44:11. Out of order.
235. Bethaun. Joshua 18:12; K. 50:24; L. 249:23.
Cf. the etymology and identification with Baithēl in K. 43:3. LXX has Baithōn. On Gai (K. 4:27). The identity of the two is not clearly accepted in K. 66:8 where Gai is near Bēthaun and Beithēl. Some suggest it is the enigmatic ruin of et Tell . If Eusebius knew a real location with late occupation it could be Tell Mirjam .
For Machmas see K. 132:3. Jerome has confused the issue of location by adding Bethel (K. 51:23) but refers to the previous identification.
In Interpretation of Hebrew Names "Bethauen, home of futility" (90).
236. Baliloth. Joshua 18:17; K. 50:26; L. n/a; Lacuna in Greek Text.
This entry is not in the Vatican manuscript.
Simple tribal listing which has a G not a B in the MT and may be same as Galeilōoth of K. 70:17.
237. Bethsour (Bethaur). Joshua 15:58; K. 52:1; L. 249:25.
Textual variants: Bedsour (Greek), Bethsor and Bethsoron (Latin).
All the witnesses combine Philippos' well with Bethsour (Acts 8:38). In the Madaba map they are adjacent: "Bethsoura, the shrine of Philip where they say Candacē the eunuch was baptized." This follows the error of the Greek which confused the name of the queen with that of her eunuch. Jerome corrects this.
The pilgrim texts note the well of Philip at Bethasora, fourteen miles from Bethleem ( Itin. Bourd. and PTT I, 21). The road to Gaza went by the well. "From there she turned to the right through Bethsur and came to Escol" (Jerome's Epistle 108:11 (Paula PPT I, 9). It is the border of Juda and Edam.
The Madaba map and Eusebius point to the vicinity of modern Beit sur. Since Kh et Tabeiqah the Old Testament site has no Byzantine or Roman remains and was apparently abandoned in the second century before Christ, the Burj es Sur may be the Onomasticon 's Bethsōrō. The well is 18 miles from Jerusalem. The Burj is to the west as Paula noted.
The "other" Bethsour is also linked with Iouda. The distance from Eleutheropolis (K. 18:12) is missing from the Vatican manuscript. This site is not identified but could be deir esh shur .
In Interpretation of Hebrew Names "Bethsur, house of strength" (91).
238. Boon. Joshua 18:17; K. 52:6; L. 249:31.
Simple tribal listing.
239. Bēthalōn. Joshua 18:19; K. 52:7; L. n/a; Lacuna in Greek Text.
The first part of this entry is missing in the Greek Vatican manuscript. A variant is Betholon (Latin).
Simple tribal listing plus Hexaplaric data. Not in MT of Hebrew.
240. Bēthagla (Bethalla). Joshua 18:19, 21; K. 52:8; L. 249:32.
A simple tribal listing cf. K. 48:18, K. 8:11.
241. Bērōth. Joshua 18:25; K. 52:9; L. n/a; Lacuna in Greek Text.
This entry is not in the Vatican manuscript.