Lexical Summary
Berothah: Berothah
Original Word: בֵּרוֹתָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Berowthah
Pronunciation: beh-ro-THAH
Phonetic Spelling: (bay-ro-thaw')
KJV: Berothah, Berothai
NASB: Berothah
Word Origin: [probably from H1266 (בְּרוֹת - cypresses)]
1. cypress or cypresslike
2. Berothah or Berothai, a place north of Israel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Berothah, Berothai
Or Berothay {bay-ro-that'-ee}; probably from browth; cypress or cypresslike; Berothah or Berothai, a place north of Palestine -- Berothah, Berothai.
see HEBREW browth
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona place near Hamath
NASB TranslationBerothah (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Ezekiel 47:16 (contracted from ?), compare following; — hardly = Berytus (Beirût) with which form of name might agree see Steph. Byzant. and others in Movers
Phen. ii. 1. 110 n.; perhaps
Bereit¹n near Baalbek, see Furrer
ZPV viii. 34.
2 Samuel 8:8; perhaps = foregoing.
Topical Lexicon
Name and Geographic Setting Berothah (also appearing in the text as Berothai) lay in the northern reaches of ancient Aram, on the strategic corridor that links Hamath to Damascus. The town is commonly identified with modern Bereitân, situated near the Barada (Abana) River, a locale that controls access from the Syrian interior to the Phoenician coast. Its position placed it on key caravan routes, making it a prize for competing kingdoms and later a landmark in prophetic boundary-lists.
Berothah in David’s Conquests
2 Samuel 8:8 records: “From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze”. Berothah was part of the Aramean coalition ruled by Hadadezer of Zobah. David’s capture of the city:
• Secured control of vital trade arteries north of Israel.
• Yielded immense bronze reserves. 1 Chronicles 18:8 adds that the bronze taken from “Tibhath and Cun” (parallel names for Betah and Berothai) was later fashioned by Solomon into the Temple’s bronze sea, pillars, and utensils. Thus, material seized at Berothah became an instrument of worship, illustrating how God employs the spoils of warfare for sacred purposes (compare Proverbs 13:22).
Berothah in Ezekiel’s Vision
Ezekiel 47:16 lists Berothah among the northern border points of the ideal future land: “Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), Hazer Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran”. In the prophet’s geography:
• Berothah marks a border that stretches farther north than the historical kingdom of Israel ever held, echoing the breadth of the promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:18).
• The inclusion of a once-foreign Aramean city signals the final subjugation of hostile powers and the complete security of God’s covenant people.
Intertextual Connections
– 2 Samuel 8:8 // 1 Chronicles 18:8: The same campaign, two name sets (Berothai:: Cun), underscoring textual preservation from different archival sources.
– Ezekiel 47 resonates with Numbers 34 and Joshua 13, revealing continuity in the biblical theme of God-defined borders.
– The bronze taken at Berothah ultimately serves in the Temple (1 Kings 7:13-47), weaving the city into the worship life of Israel for generations.
Theological Themes
1. Divine Sovereignty over Nations: David’s victory over Hadadezer fulfills earlier assurances that the Lord would “subdue all your enemies” (2 Samuel 7:9).
2. Sanctification of Resources: Material captured in warfare is consecrated for holy service, signifying that all wealth rightly belongs to God and can be redirected to His glory.
3. Eschatological Hope: Ezekiel’s use of Berothah in the boundary vision underscores the certainty of God’s future order, where hostile borders become secure frontiers of blessing.
Archaeology and Historical Notes
– Tell Bereitân, near the narrow pass of the Barada Gorge, has yielded Iron Age pottery consistent with Aramean occupation.
– The site’s proximity to copper and tin trade routes explains the large quantities of bronze mentioned in Scripture.
– Egyptian topographical lists from the Late Bronze Age may reference the locale under the name “Birti,” supporting its long-standing regional significance.
Lessons for Ministry Today
• Victories belong to the Lord; believers steward the spoils for worship and service.
• God’s boundaries—moral, spiritual, geographic—bring freedom and security, not limitation.
• Prophetic promises anchor present obedience; the Church labors in hope, knowing that every conquest over sin and opposition moves toward a final, perfect inheritance.
Key References
2 Samuel 8:8; 1 Chronicles 18:8; Ezekiel 47:16; Genesis 15:18; Proverbs 13:22; 1 Kings 7:13-47
Forms and Transliterations
בֵּר֙וֹתָה֙ ברותה וּמִבֵּֽרֹתַ֖י ומברתי bê·rō·w·ṯāh beRotah bêrōwṯāh ū·mib·bê·rō·ṯay umibberoTai ūmibbêrōṯay
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