What is…
Beth-zur

Meaning: house of rock

also known as: Bethzur, Beth Zur, Bethsura, Bethsoura, Beit Tzur, and Khirbet et Tubeiqa

This is a town in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:58), about 4 miles to the north of Hebron.

The Bible mentions this place several times. It was built by King Rehoboam for the defense of his kingdom (2 Chronicles 11:7). It was near Halhul and Gedor.

Its ruins are believed to be at Khirbet et-Tubeiqa.
see: Avraham Negev and Shimon Gibson, “Bethsura,” Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (New York and London: Continuum, 2001), pp. 89–90)

Area where ancient Bethzur was apparently located, north of Hebron (satellite view) / see: Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World
Modern city of Hebron, in the West Bank—satellite view

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Article Version: July 28, 2021