Bethel in the Torah
בית אל
The place where Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. He named it Bethel — 'House of God.' Abraham had earlier built an altar here. After the split of the kingdom, Jeroboam set up a golden calf at Bethel, making it a rival worship site to Jerusalem. The prophets later condemned this as idolatry.
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Cortlandt Van Dyke Hubbard, Photographer (Public domain)
Key Verses
6 selected passages mentioning Bethel
Seek not Bethel — the prophet condemns idol worship
וְאַֽל־תִּדְרְשׁוּ֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וְהַגִּלְגָּל֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔אוּ וּבְאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע לֹ֣א תַעֲבֹ֑רוּ כִּ֤י הַגִּלְגָּל֙ גָּלֹ֣ה יִגְלֶ֔ה וּבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל יִהְיֶ֥ה לְאָֽוֶן׃
Do not seek Bethel,Nor go to Gilgal,Nor cross overacross over Into Judah; cf. 1 Kings 19.3. to Beer-sheba;For Gilgal shall go into exile,And Bethel shall become a delusion.
Abram pitches his tent near Bethel and builds an altar
וַיַּעְתֵּ֨ק מִשָּׁ֜ם הָהָ֗רָה מִקֶּ֛דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וַיֵּ֣ט אׇהֳלֹ֑ה בֵּֽית־אֵ֤ל מִיָּם֙ וְהָעַ֣י מִקֶּ֔דֶם וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֤ם מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה׃
From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and he built there an altar to GOD and invoked GOD by name.
Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven
וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃
He had a dream; a stairwaybstairway Or “ramp”; in contrast to others “ladder.” Heb. sullam. was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angelscangels Heb. “messengers.” of God were going up and down on it.
Jacob names the place Bethel — House of God
וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃
He named that site Bethel;fBethel I.e., “house of God.” but previously the name of the city had been Luz.
God tells Jacob to return to Bethel and build an altar
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֔ב ק֛וּם עֲלֵ֥ה בֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וְשֶׁב־שָׁ֑ם וַעֲשֵׂה־שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לָאֵל֙ הַנִּרְאֶ֣ה אֵלֶ֔יךָ בְּבׇ֨רְחֲךָ֔ מִפְּנֵ֖י עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיךָ׃
God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and remain there; and build an altar there to the God who appeared toaappeared to See note at 12.7. you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
Jeroboam sets up a golden calf in Bethel
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד נָתַ֥ן בְּדָֽן׃
He set up one in Bethel and placed the other in Dan.
71 more verses mention Bethel across the Tanakh
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