Ezra 2:28

Beth-el one of the most ancient towns in the country (cf. Joshua 12:9), called Luz -at the first" and famous in the history of the Patriarch Jacob (Genesis 28:19; Genesis 35:15), captured from the Canaanites by Ephraim (Judges 1:22-26), situated on the borders of Ephraim and Benjamin (Joshua 16:1; Joshua 18:13; Joshua 18:22). It was reputed of special sanctity. We find the ark at Beth-el (Judges 20:18; Judges 20:26-27). It was included in Samuel's circuit (1 Samuel 7:16). It was the home of one of -the schools of the prophets" (2 Kings 2:3). It was selected by Jeroboam as the southern sanctuary for the calf-worship which he instituted (1 Kings 12:28 &c.). Thenceforth its name chiefly occurs in connexion with the sins of idolatry (Amos 3:14; 2 Kings 23:15).

It is about 2½ miles N.E. of Beeroth. Its site is generally identified with the extensive ruins of Beitin.

Ai E. of Beth-el (Genesis 12:8; Joshua 7:2), an ancient royal town (Joshua 12:9) destroyed by Joshua (Joshua 7:8), but afterwards rebuilt. It is called Aiath in Isaiah 10:28, in which passage its position shows that it lay to the N. of Michmash. In Nehemiah 11:31 it appears as Aija. The name denotes -ruinous heaps" and thus corresponds with Tell-el-Ḥajar(-mound of stones"), a place about 2⅓ miles S. E. of Bethel, on the S. side of the Wadi-el-Mat-yâ, from which the path leads through the hills to Jericho. In the Pal. Expl. map it is identified with Khan Haiyan, 2570 ft. high, E. of Beeroth, and S. of Dêr Diwân.