Beersheba

From BibleWiki

Meaning: well of the oath, or well of seven

A well dug by Abraham, and so named because he and Abimelech here entered into a compact (Gen 21:31). On re-opening it, Isaac gave it the same name (Gen 26:31ff). It was a favourite place of abode of both of these patriarchs (Gen 21:33ff, Gen 22:19; Gen 26:33; Gen 28:10). It is mentioned among the "cities" given to the tribe of Simeon (Josh 19:2; 1Chr 4:28).

From Dan to Beersheba, a distance of about 144 miles (Jdg 20:1; 1Chr 21:2; 2 Sam 24:2), became the usual way of designating the whole Promised Land, and passed into a proverb. After the return from the Captivity the phrase is narrowed into "from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom" (Neh 11:30). The kingdom of the ten tribes extended from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim (2Chr 19:4). The name is not found in the New Testament. It is still called by the Arabs Bir es-Seba, i.e., "well of the seven", where there are to the present day two principal wells and five smaller ones. It is nearly midway between the southern end of the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.